WALES

Departmental Property

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many residential properties his Department owns; how many of these are vacant; and how many of these have been vacant for longer than  (a) three,  (b) six and  (c) 12 months.

Paul Murphy: None.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Equality

Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether there is a duty on each Equality and Human Rights Commission Commissioner to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people's rights.

Barbara Follett: There is a statutory duty on the Equality and Human Rights Commission to promote equality of opportunity, including the right of persons not to be discriminated against on the grounds of their sexual orientation or gender re-assignment. Each Commissioner is subject to a code of practice which makes them collectively liable/responsible for the decisions of the Commission, including giving full effect to the statutory duties of the Commission.

TRANSPORT

Crossrail Line

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution she expects BAA to make towards Crossrail if permission  (a) is and  (b) is not given for a third runway at Heathrow.

Tom Harris: The Department and BAA are negotiating the terms of a suitable contribution by BAA towards the construction of Crossrail. There is no linkage between this negotiation and the Department's consideration of the case for a proposed third runway at Heathrow.

Departmental Sick Pay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of sickness pay to staff within her Department was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The notional cost of paid sickness absence in DfT for the financial year 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 was £15.5 million.

Ministerial Car Fleet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 154W, on the Ministerial car fleet, to whom the cars in bands F and G have been allocated.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Of the 30 cars in VED band F, 13 are allocated to Secretaries of State and the remaining 17 are allocated to other Ministers. The one car in VED band G is allocated to a Secretary of State.

Network Rail: Fines

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will ensure that revenue from the fine imposed on Network Rail for delays in December 2007 and January 2008 is spent on the rail network.

Tom Harris: This is a matter for the independent Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), whose investigation has concluded that the problems experienced over the new year were part of a continuing breach by Network Rail of its network licence. The ORR is now consulting on its response.
	I understand that Network Rail is exploring urgently with passenger and freight operators and user representatives the option of funding a package of customer improvements worth £14 million. If agreement can be reached by the end of the month, the ORR could decide to endorse this rather than imposing its proposed penalty on Network Rail for breaching its licence.

Parliament Square: Accidents

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents occurred in Parliament Square in each year since 2001; how many  (a) involved and  (b) were caused by persons taking part in public demonstrations opposite Carriage Gates; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of reported personal injury road accidents in Parliament Square in 2001 to 2006 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of accidents 
			 2001 24 
			 2002 19 
			 2003 27 
			 2004 13 
			 2005 13 
			 2006 5 
		
	
	Information on the number of accidents involving or caused by persons taking part in public demonstrations opposite Carriage Gates is not collected.

JUSTICE

Chelmsford Prison

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the approved capacity for the number of prisoners to be held at Chelmsford Prison is; and how many prisoners were held there on  (a) 1 January,  (b) 1 February and  (c) 1 March 2008.

Maria Eagle: The operational capacity at Chelmsford prison is 695. Prisoners unlocked were as follows  (a) 684  (b) 692  (c) 692.

Chelmsford Prison: Suicide

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisoners committed suicide in Chelmsford Prison in each of the last 10 years; and how many have committed suicide in 2008;
	(2)  how many safer cells there are at Chelmsford Prison; how many were installed in each of the last 10 years; and how many are planned to be installed in 2008;
	(3)  how many of those who committed suicide at Chelmsford Prison in the last 10 years were accommodated in safer cells.

David Hanson: The number of self-inflicted deaths at Chelmsford prison in each of the last 10 years, and to 4 March 2008, is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Chelmsford 
			   Self-inflicted deaths 
			 1998 2 
			 1999 1 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 1 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 0 
			 2005 1 
			 2006 1 
			 2007 3 
			 2008(1) 3 
			 (1) Year to date  Note: The Prison Service/NOMS definition of self-inflicted deaths is broader than the legal definition of suicide and includes all deaths where it appears that a prisoner has acted specifically to take their own life. This inclusive approach is used in part because inquest verdicts are often not available for some years after a death (some 20 per cent. of these deaths will not receive a suicide or open verdict at inquest). Annual numbers may change slightly from time to time as inquest verdicts and other information become available. 
		
	
	Of the 138 safer cells installed at Chelmsford prison (some of the older of which are on the maintenance database for refurbishment), 12 were installed in 1996 and 126 in 2006. There are no plans to install additional safer cells at Chelmsford prison during 2008.
	None of the self-inflicted deaths at Chelmsford Prison since 1998 have occurred in safer cells.

Freedom of Information

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to bring  (a) London councils,  (b) regional assemblies and  (c) the Local Government Association within the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as public authorities.

Michael Wills: London local authorities including the Common Council of the City of London are already covered by the Freedom of Information Act and listed in Part II of Schedule 1.
	The Government announced last year that Regional Assemblies in their current form and function would not continue. Their regional planning functions will in due course be transferred to the Regional Development Agencies, which are already public authorities within the meaning of the Freedom of Information Act.
	The Local Government Association is not currently subject to the Act. The Government have just concluded a consultation on whether to extend coverage to organisations that carry out public functions and are not currently subject to the Act. The Government aim to publish its response to this consultation in May 2008.

Prisoners

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were resident in open prisons who were deemed unsuitable for release on temporary licence in each of the last 12 months.

David Hanson: Release on temporary licence is the mechanism that enables prisoners to participate in necessary activities, outside of the prison establishment, that directly contribute to their resettlement into the community and their development of a purposeful law abiding life. The eligibility requirements are set out in Prison Service Order 6300 Release on Temporary Licence, which is available on the Prison Service website. Eligible prisoners must pass a rigorous risk assessment before temporary release is granted.
	Information on those considered unsuitable for release under temporary licence is not centrally available, would require manual inspection of individual prisoners' records and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

Prisoners

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were resident in open prisons who had not completed relevant offender management or treatment programmes in the closed estate in each of the last 12 months.

David Hanson: Prior to allocation to an open prison, prisoners are assessed to ensure that the level of risk that they present can be safely managed in open conditions. The assessment will take account of a range of factors including participation in activities such as offending behaviour and treatment programmes where appropriate. However, some programmes are also delivered in open prisons. This information is therefore currently not available.

Prisoners Release

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were released on end of custody licence from prisons in Essex on 1 January 2008.

David Hanson: Prisoners are not released on end of custody licence at weekends or public holidays. If the ECL eligibility date falls on a weekend or public holiday release is deferred to the next working day. Therefore, no prisoners were reported to have been released on ECL on 1 January 2008.

Probation

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether any probation areas have advised the relevant courts that  (a) unpaid work,  (b) domestic violence programmes,  (c) alcohol programmes,  (d) sex offender programmes and  (e) accredited programmes are unavailable;
	(2)  in how many probation areas courts have been advised of restrictions on the availability of a community penalty; and what alternative sentences are available in those areas.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is not collected centrally. I will make inquiries of probation areas and write to the hon. Member.

Probation Officers

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many trainee probation officers who qualified in 2007 have not been offered permanent jobs as probation officers.

Maria Eagle: 464 trainee probation officers qualified in 2007 of which 60 (13 per cent.) have not been offered permanent jobs as probation officers. Of the 60 trainee posts, 35 have been offered a variety of roles including fixed term PO contracts, PSO roles pending a PO vacancy or other roles within the service and 25 have left the service (some by their own volition).
	A further 10 TPOs who qualified were originally offered temporary PO contracts which have now been made permanent.

Young Offenders

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he intends to establish restorative peer panels in Essex.

David Hanson: The Government are currently evaluating the Lancashire Peer Panel Pilot Scheme and no decision will be made on extending the scheme to other parts of the country, until that evaluation is complete.

TREASURY

Capital Gains Tax: Second Homes

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has discussed his proposals on capital gains tax and second homes with the Government's rural affairs adviser Dr. Stuart Burgess.

Jane Kennedy: Treasury Ministers and officials discuss a wide variety of issues with numerous organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Debts: Developing Countries

John Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further steps he plans to take to extend international debt relief.

Angela Eagle: The UK welcomes the recent agreements at the international finance institutions to finance Liberia's arrears clearance. This paves the way for Liberia to enter the HIPC initiative and receive debt relief. We will continue to support further eligible countries to achieve debt cancellation under the HIPC and multilateral debt relief initiatives. The UK also continues to provide debt relief to low-income countries not eligible for HIPC and that can use the savings for poverty reduction.

Departmental Publicity

Liam Fox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on public awareness media advertising in the last 12 months.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) by the then Financial Secretary (John Healey) on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 374W.

Financial Institutions: Charity

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what plans he has encourage charitable trusts of financial institutions to contribute to good causes;
	(2)  which financial institutions have charitable trusts; what assets each such trust holds; and how much each contributed to good causes in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: It is the responsibility of the Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, to ensure that grant-giving charitable foundations, including those set up by financial institutions, operate according to their founding charitable purposes.
	The FSA is responsible for the regulation of financial institutions in the UK. The Government do not hold data on individual institutions' charitable giving.

Inward Migration

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2008,  Official Report, column 753, to the hon. Member for Peterborough, on inward migration, what the figure was for  (a) inward migration and  (b) net migration in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 March 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question concerning what the figure was for (a) inward migration and (b) net migration each year since 1997. (190860)
	The estimates of immigration and net migration for the UK are presented in the table below.
	
		
			  Total international migration, 1997 to 2006, United Kingdom 
			  Thousand 
			   Inflow  Net migration 
			 1997 327 (1)48 
			 1998 391 (1)140 
			 1999 454 (1)163 
			 2000 479 (1)158 
			 2001 479 (1)173 
			 2002 513 (1)154 
			 2003 508 (1)147 
			 2004 586 (1)244 
			 2005 563 (1)204 
			 2006 591 (1)191 
			 (1) Denotes a net inflow figure.

Drinking Water

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on mineral water in each of the last three years.

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on bottled water in the latest year for which figures are available.

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many litres of bottled water were purchased by his Department in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to the Member for Warley (Mr. Spellar) by the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (Mr. John Healey) on 9 January 2006,  Official Report, column 302W. Total costs for meeting refreshments were £223,619 in 2006-07 and £243,129 in 2005-06.

Unemployed: Housing

Clive Efford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of unemployed people live in  (a) council properties,  (b) housing association properties,  (c) private rented accommodation and  (d) owner-occupied properties; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated 7 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question what proportion of unemployed people live in (a) council properties, (b) housing association properties, (c) private rented accommodation and (d) owner-occupied properties; and if he will make a statement. I am replying in her absence. (192697)
	The attached table gives the ILO unemployment number and percentage for the categories requested for the three month period ending December 2007. People aged 16 and over are classed as unemployed by the Labour Force Survey if they are without a job, are available to start work in the next two weeks, who want a job, have been seeking a job in the last 4 weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Unemployed( 1)  people aged 16 and over, by housing tenure, three months ending December 2007 
			   Percentage( 2) 
			 Rented from a local authority 23 
			 Rented from a housing association(3) 13 
			 Privately rented(4) 19 
			 Owner occupied(5) 43 
			 Other(6) 1 
			 Total 100 
			 (1) Number of unemployed people measured using the internationally agreed definition recommended by the International labour Organisation (ILO). (2) Number of ILO unemployed people in each housing tenure as a percentage of all ILO unemployed people. (3) Includes housing association, charitable trust or local housing company (4) Includes rented accommodation where the landlord is an employer of a household member, a relative or friend of a household member or any other private landlord. (5) Includes people who own their property outright, purchased their property with a mortgage or loan or pay part rent and part mortgage. (6) Includes those who are squatting or living rent free.  Source: ONS Labour Force Survey.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made for underage drinking in  (a) Cornwall,  (b) the South West and  (c) England in each year since 1979.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally. The arrests collection undertaken by the Ministry of Justice provides data on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only. Summary offences of consumption of alcohol by persons aged under 18 are not included within this category.

Assets Recovery Agency

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual running costs were of  (a) the Assets Recovery Agency and  (b) the Serious and Organised Crime Agency in each of the three years for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 3 March 2008
	Net expenditure by the Assets Recovery Agency for the last three years for which figures are available is as follows:
	
		
			   Net expenditure (£ million) 
			 2004-05 14.0 
			 2005-06 16.5 
			 2006-07 13.5 
		
	
	SOCA's resource funding in 2006-07 was £391.6 million, its first year of operation.

Drugs: Methamphetamine

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent assessment is of the prevalence of crystal meth usage in England.

Vernon Coaker: Indications suggest that there is very low use of methamphetamine among the general population and also among drug misusing offenders who regularly come into contact with the criminal justice system. From April this year, questions on the use of methamphetamine will be included in the British Crime Survey to monitor trends in usage among the general population. My Department is also looking at ways in which different sources of data can be reviewed to ensure that any increase in the prevalence of methamphetamine use is identified early.

Hooliganism: Football

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with UEFA officials on the violence during the Bolton Wanderers versus Atletico Madrid football match in Madrid on 21 February;
	(2)  what discussions were held between Greater Manchester Police and the Madrid Police on the prevention of violence at the Bolton Wanderers versus Atletico Madrid football match on 21 February.

Vernon Coaker: Greater Manchester police participated in the pre-match UEFA hosted security meeting for the match in Madrid. The Home Office is awaiting police and other reports on the incident. The outcome will be taken fully into account in taking forward the EU work programme on minimising safety and security risks at football matches with an international dimension. Home Office and other UK football safety and security experts have played a leading role in developing this work programme.

Immigrants: Domestic Violence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will provide funding for  (a) legal aid and  (b) safe accommodation for women with undecided immigration status who are victims of domestic violence or abuse while their immigration status is being assessed.

Vernon Coaker: Victims of domestic violence with undecided immigration status are eligible to apply for legal aid. All cases are judged on individual circumstances and are measured against the criteria set out in the Legal Services Commission Funding Code.
	Victims of domestic violence with undecided immigration status can also access services funded by the Supporting People grant, which provides support to vulnerable people in refuges, hostels and supported accommodation, or in their own home.
	In addition, the Home Office announced on 6 March a new scheme where victims of domestic violence who have made successful applications for indefinite leave to remain, may qualify for a contribution towards their housing and living costs.
	We recognise the need to find a permanent solution to this issue and are working across Government to achieve this.

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes: Finance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much financial support was given to Neighbourhood Watch in each of the last 10 years, including 2007-08; and how much is proposed to be given in 2008-09.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 21 February 2008
	 The Neighbourhood Watch Movement has received no direct financial support from the Home Office in the past 10 years. Instead, the Home Office supports the Movement through provision of a dedicated liaison post, and by publishing materials and promotional literature for the Movement's use. Since 2004, the Home Office has chaired the National Strategy Group for Watch Issues, maintained a website and administered use of the Neighbourhood Watch logo. In 2005, the Home Office began funding annual public liability insurance for Movement members, and since 2007 has hosted quarterly national meetings of volunteers' representatives. The Home Office has committed to providing this range of support in 2008-09.

Police: Expenditure

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much each police force in England and Wales spent on border security and enforcement in each of the last three financial years;
	(2)  how much the Metropolitan Police's Security Command spent on border security and enforcement in each of the last three financial years;
	(3)  what estimate her Department has made of the amount spent by Ports Police on border security and enforcement in each of the last three financial years.

Tony McNulty: This information is not held centrally in the form requested. In general the Government allocate funding to police force areas as a whole rather than to specific locations or functions. The actual deployment of police officers at ports and their costs is an operational matter for individual Chief Officers. In the case of London, the Counter Terrorism Command is responsible for the policing of the border within the Metropolitan police force area (especially Heathrow and London City airports).
	Airport operators reimburse police authorities for the costs of uniformed police officers at airports designated under section 25 of the Aviation Security Act, such as Heathrow. At other ports, such as London City airport, police officers are funded wholly or partly by the police authority, or by other means, including voluntary contributions by airport operators. These amounts are determined locally.
	Additional funding for Special Branch officers at ports is provided by the Home Office through Dedicated Security Post (DSP) grants which go towards the police costs of specific security functions. The grants paid to police forces towards the costs of funding their Special Branch officers at ports in financial years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 were £70.6 million £71.4 million and £72.6 million respectively.

Security: Licensed Premises

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what licensing conditions apply to door staff working after midnight at licensed premises.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 6 March 2008
	Under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 an individual who carries out manned guarding activities, such as guarding premises or property, in relation to licensed premises, requires a door supervisor's licence from the Security Industry Authority. Further, where the activities in question are undertaken in relation to licensed premises as defined in the Act and under certain conditions, the requirements are that the activity takes place at or in relation to times when the premises are open to the public, and alcohol is being supplied for consumption on the premises or regulated entertainment is being provided. The requirement for a door supervisor's licence is not affected by the time of day when the activity takes place. It applies whether the individual is employed on contract or "in-house".

Shoplifting

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there were for shoplifting in each of the last three years; and what proportion of those arrested tested positive for illicit drugs.

Vernon Coaker: Data on arrests collected by the Ministry of Justice provide information on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences), aggregated by main offence group, i.e. violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, etc. More detailed data about specific offences such as shoplifting do not form part of this collection. In the light of that, the data are not available in the requested format.
	Since 2003, drug testing of offenders for specified class A drugs (heroin, cocaine/crack cocaine) in some police custody suites has operated as part of the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP). Under DIP, offenders who are arrested/charged with a trigger offence (including 'theft' offences, which also includes shoplifting offences) in DIP intensive areas (those areas with high levels of drug-related crime) are required to undergo a drug test.
	The proportion of individuals who tested positive for heroin and/or crack cocaine following arrest/charge for 'theft' offences (including shoplifting) as part of the DIP programme in the last three years for which we have data are shown as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2004-05 50 
			 2005-06 48 
			 2006-07 38 
		
	
	It should be noted that the reduction in the positive test rate reflects the introduction of the power to test on arrest rather than just at the charge stage. Data is not available for all illicit drugs as DIP only tests for specified CLASS A drugs (heroin, cocaine/crack cocaine) and that only some custody suites have drug testing.
	Where individuals test positive for heroin and/or cocaine/crack cocaine, they are required to undergo an assessment of their drug use and treatment needs with a drug worker. Failure to attend can result in a criminal charge. Since 2003, more than 115,000 drug misusers have entered treatment through DIP.
	Figures from a voluntary survey of police arrestees (the Arrestee Survey, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/07 (2007)), show that 54 per cent. of those reporting regular (weekly) use of heroin or crack cocaine (HC) reported shoplifting in the four weeks prior to arrest. Among those arrested for shoplifting, 37 per cent. self-reported weekly use of HC.

Theft: Computers

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to raise public awareness of the risk of theft of laptop computers from cars through the use of devices to detect laptop signals from outside the car.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office has produced a wide range of information for the public aimed at informing them what they can do to reduce the risk of being victims of crime. In relation to theft from vehicles, there is general advice on not leaving any item on display in vehicles, regardless of its value, in our "Steer Clear of Car Crime" leaflets. We would encourage local police and other agencies to make use of and add to these messages.

Wildlife: Crime

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time wildlife crime officers there were in each police force in each year since 1997, broken down by rank; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information on the number of full-time wildlife crime officer, is not collected centrally.
	Decisions on how wildlife crime is addressed, including decisions on resources and staffing, are matters for the police service. These decisions will be made by the chief constable in the light of the competing demands on the force and the priorities of the local communities.
	The work of wildlife crime officers in forces is supported by a National Wildlife Crime Unit, which covers both England and Scotland; and the Home Office has recently announced that it will be providing funding for each of the next three years to support the work of this unit.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012

Bob Neill: To ask the Minister for the Olympics if she will place in the Library a copy of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority Governance Review produced by Deloitte and Touche.

Tessa Jowell: The review of governance of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) was undertaken by Deloitte on behalf of the LVRPA. The authority is currently considering recommendations resulting from the review, and the policy options available to it. The Deloitte report and associated material are, therefore, still subject to LVRPA scrutiny and are not publicly available at this time.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps have been taken to ensure that objects of historic value identified during the construction process for the 2012 Olympics are protected.

Tessa Jowell: Since 2003 the Museum of London Archaeological Service and Pre-Construct Archaeology (MoLAS-PCA), has worked in partnership to provide archaeological services to the London Development Agency (LDA) regarding the Olympic Park, and now continue to do so for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).
	As a part of the planning application process it is incumbent upon the ODA to fund an archaeological assessment of the proposed development site, and to undertake measures to either preserve in situ or record any archaeological remains found within the designated footprint.
	Furthermore MoLAS-PCA are in regular contact with English Heritage's Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service (GLAAS), who also provide advice to the five host boroughs and the ODA Planning Decisions Team.
	Interesting remains will either be photographed and recorded or removed to form part of the Museum of London's collection, and in the coming weeks the ODA will be announcing a programme of events involving schools and local communities that is based upon the artefacts excavated from the Olympic site to date.

Olympic Games: Freedom of Speech

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions she has had with officials from the British Olympic Association on freedom of speech for British athletes participating in the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 6 March 2008
	The rules governing British athletes participating in the Olympic Games in Beijing are a matter for the British Olympic Association (BOA), which is independent of Government.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Assets: Consultants

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultancy firms the Cabinet Office has contracted to provide advice relating to property and estates in the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: In the financial year 2006-07, the following consultancy firms were contracted by the Cabinet Office to provide advice relating to property and estates management.
	Drivers Jonas
	Feilden and Mawson
	GVA Grimley
	Macintyre Hudson
	Stephenson and Son
	Humberts

Data Protection

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  which recommendations of the 2005 report on data security by Dr. Mark Walport of the Council for Science and Technology the Government adopted;
	(2)  which recommendations of the Council for Science and Technology's 2005 report, entitled Better use of personal information: opportunities and risks, have been implemented by the Government.

Michael Wills: I have been asked to reply.
	There was no formal Government response to the Council for Science and Technology's 2005 report and the Government have not specifically implemented the recommendations. However, the report has been a valuable source of information in developing its thinking on how information is used and protected.
	On 25 October, the Prime Minister asked Dr. Mark Walport and the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, to carry out an independent review of the use and sharing of personal information in the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Justice are currently considering how the programme should be structured to deliver service transformation.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: Information on the final regulatory impact assessments published between 1 January and 30 June 2007 can be found in Command Paper 7297, available at:
	http://bre.berr.gov.uk/regulation/ria/regulatory_reporting/index.asp
	None are listed for the Cabinet Office.
	Departments are in the process of identifying the final regulatory impact assessments published between 1 July and 31 December 2007.
	From April 2008, all final impact assessment will be published on a central website.

Email: Data Protection

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2008,  Official Report, column 2178W, on electronic mail, if he will place in the Library a copy of the sections of the Cabinet Office's protective security policy on the use of email.

Tom Watson: For security reasons, it would not be appropriate to make public the precise internal security arrangements for Government Departments.
	Security procedures for the use of electronic mail, along with other protective security measures, are based on the policy and procedures within the Government Manual of Protective Security (MPS).

Magazine Press

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library copies of the Cabinet Office staff magazine from the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: I refer the hon. member to the answer given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Durham (Hilary Armstrong), on 26 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1348W.

Members: Telephone Tapping

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the inquiry into the covert recording of the hon. Member for Tooting, whether the Wilson Doctrine forbids surveillance or interception of hon. Members' use of  (a) personal digital assistants,  (b) mobile telephone texts,  (c) voice over internet protocol systems,  (d) internet browsers and  (e) email.

Gordon Brown: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor Mr. Blair to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) on 1 February 2007,  Official Report, column 464W.

Security: Greater London

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the scope and purpose of the Government Security Zone project is.

Tom Watson: The Government Security Zone (GSZ) designates that area of central London containing major government and public buildings. The GSZ programme consists of a linked series of projects to enhance security within the zone. The main project is the "Whitehall Streetscape Improvement" project which is a partnership between Westminster city council and central Government. This project involves major renovation of Whitehall incorporating new security features.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times British forces have jammed mobile telephone networks in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: I am withholding detailed information on operational tactics and procedures as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Armed Forces: Compensation

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance exists for compensation for armed forces personnel who are injured in armed combat; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 6 March 2008
	Upon the launch of the armed forces compensation scheme on 6 April 2005, every member of the armed forces (including reserve forces) was sent a copy of a booklet entitled 'Your Compensation Scheme Explained'; moreover, all service recruits who have joined since that date have received a copy. In addition, details of the compensation scheme are available to all members of the armed forces via the internet (www.veterans-uk.info), updates to the scheme are notified by way of Defence Internal Briefings which are available to all personnel via their chain of command and Intranet. Articles about the scheme have appeared in the in-house service periodicals (Navy News/Soldier Magazine and the RAF News).
	Detailed information is held in all Ship/Unit Administrative Offices in the form of booklets and tri fold leaflets. In addition, all personnel have access to the Joint Service Publication 765 'The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme for Injury, Illness and Death Due to Service' either via the MoD Intranet or from their Administrative Offices. Staff at all Service Medical facilities (including the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak and the Medical Rehabilitation Unit at Headley Court) are aware of the scheme and able to advise patients of the process for making a claim. Finally, details of the scheme and how to make a claim are held by Ship/Unit welfare staff and ex-service charities.
	The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency who administer the scheme have a Free phone helpline (0800 169 2277) which personnel can access to seek specialist assistance with making a claim.

Armed Forces: Gliding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the RAF's project evaluation in respect of the relocation of the Joint Service Gliding Centre and the RAF Gliding and Soaring Association Centre from RAF Bicester to RAF Halton.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 6 March 2008
	Yes. I will place a copy in the Library.

Armed Forces: Publications

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the joint service publications  (a) JSP 463,  (b) JSP 468,  (c) JSP 469 and  (d) JSP 471.

Derek Twigg: The information is as follows:
	 (a) JSP 463 (Procedures for Project Sponsorship of Staff Targets and Requirements (The Purple Book)) is not a current publication and no copy of it could be located.
	I have placed  (b) JSP 468 (Joint Service Manual for the Loan and Secondment of Personnel to Commonwealth and Foreign Forces) and  (c) JSP 469 (Service Code of Practice for Custody and Detention) in the Library of the House.
	 (d) JSP 471 (Defence Nuclear Accident Response) is available on the MOD website at the following address:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/HealthandSafetyPublications/JSP471/

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average cost of  (a) service dress,  (b) blues and  (c) mess dress is for each regiment; and how much service personnel receive towards the costs of each.

Derek Twigg: The average cost, at public expense, for all three Services for parade wear (service dress) is £100 and blues is £190. Mess dress for the RN and RAF is £135. Army officers are given an allowance to purchase all of their uniform requirements and this varies from regiment to regiment. The majority of grants are around £2,100, but it is not possible to separate out the cost of each dress uniform from this.

Defence Medical Service: Manpower

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in recruitment to fill manning shortfalls in the Defence Medical Service.

Bob Ainsworth: We accept that manpower shortfalls remain in some key specialties, including some consultant cadres and specialist nurses. These shortfalls have never resulted in the Defence Medical Services being unable to meet operational commitments. We manage medical deployments on a tri-service basis, allowing the work load to be shared more evenly and maximising capabilities. In addition we make use of reserves and civilian agency contractors and work closely with allies to ensure appropriate medical support is in place.
	To encourage the recruitment of certain specialities within the Defence Medical Services, where there are the most severe shortfalls, the Department pays "Golden Hellos". Golden Hellos are currently paid to General Medical Practitioners, and certain specialist consultants and nurses.
	In addition the single services' medical directorates have their own locally driven policies to improve recruitment.

Departmental Consultants

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many consultants his Department employed in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and (c) 2007; and at what cost in each year.

Derek Twigg: Specific data on the number of consultants employed by the Ministry of Defence are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, MOD expenditure on external assistance, which includes management and other types of consultancy, has been reported to Ministers since 1995-96: summaries are available in the Library of the House.
	Furthermore, information on organisations, including consultancy firms, paid £5 million or more by the MOD in each financial year is published in the UK defence statistics. Copies are also placed in the Library.

Departmental Plants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on pot plants in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the policy of British jobs for British workers will affect his Department's recruitment policy.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 3 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2206-07W.

Harrier Aircraft: Repairs and Maintenance

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current percentage shortfall is in spares for the  (a) Harrier and  (b) Typhoon aircraft.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held in the format requested.
	Aircraft spares for the Harrier aircraft fleet are partly provided direct from industry. Spares demands satisfied from MOD stocks average 90 per cent. Spare parts availability for the Harrier fleet has been sufficient to meet its operational commitments.
	Aircraft spares for Typhoon are partly provided direct from industry and partly by the MOD through an international contract. These arrangements are being built up as the RAF fleet grows and demands satisfied from MOD stocks average 68 per cent. Spare parts availability for the Typhoon fleet has been sufficient to meet its operational commitments.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects UK troops deployed in Iraq to be reduced to 2,500; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: UK force levels in southern Iraq currently stand at around 4,100. In keeping with the plans my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out to Parliament on 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 23W, we continue to plan to be able to reduce UK force levels in southern Iraq to around 2,500 from this spring. Final decisions however will, as always, be based on the advice of our military commanders and conditions on the ground at the time. Work continues on the details in consultation with our coalition partners and the Government of Iraq.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average cost is per capita per diem of feeding British troops on operations in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and what percentage of the total cost is attributable to (i) transport, (ii) storage, (iii) catering and (iv) food.

Bob Ainsworth: Based on actual food and storage and distribution costs, and forecast personnel numbers for March 2008, the average cost per capita, per diem, of food, and the storage and distribution of food, for troops and civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan is as follows:
	
		
			   Cost (£)  Food (Percentage)  Storage and distribution (Percentage) 
			 Iraq 6.47 51 49 
			 Afghanistan 12.84 32 68 
		
	
	The ratio between fresh food and operational ration pack elements of the cost varies between the operational needs in each environment. Equally, the storage and distribution requirements for each operational theatre vary, and hence the proportion of overall cost attributable to each is different.
	In Afghanistan, there are additional storage and distribution costs in meeting the demands of that operational environment, for example military charter flights and convoys to support the forward operating bases, and these cannot be broken down.
	Catering costs in both theatres would include: capital costs of kitchens and dining rooms; maintenance of catering infrastructure; civilian contracts in support of catering. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

RAF Halton: Complaints

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints  (a) his Department and  (b) the RAF received in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004, (iii) 2005, (iv) 2006 and (v) 2007 about flying activities at RAF Halton.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 6 March 2008
	The number of complaints received is as follows:
	
		
			  Complaints about flying activities at RAF Halton since 2003 
			   Number 
			 2003 67 
			 2004 216 
			 2005 132 
			 2006 25 
			 2007 38 
		
	
	The information comes from three sources—statistics held by RAF Halton; correspondence directed towards headquarters personnel and training command (before April 2007) and headquarters air command (after April 2007) and written complaints directed towards the Ministry of Defence. There is a possibility that there may be a small amount of duplication between these sources.

Territorial Army

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to mark the role played in the defence of the UK by the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve in its centenary year.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 29 February 2008
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces made on 12 June 2007,  Official Report, column 41WS, and the reply I gave, as current hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces, on 17 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2176W, to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison).
	I hope to be in a position to make an announcement on the events that are planned to mark the role played by the Territorial Army in the very near future.

USA: Nuclear Weapons

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with counterparts in NATO countries on the United States' plan to site nuclear missile bases in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Des Browne: The UK knows of no US plans to site nuclear missile bases in the Czech Republic and Poland. US plans to base conventional ballistic missile defence assets in these countries are discussed regularly in NATO.

PRIME MINISTER

Councillors: Surveillance

Bob Neill: To ask the Prime Minister if he will extend the Wilson Doctrine to cover the communications of elected local councillors with their constituents.

Gordon Brown: I set out the position on the Wilson Doctrine on 12 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2103W.

Devolution: Scotland

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what recent consideration he has given to returning powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament to the United Kingdom Parliament.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice on 31 January 2008,  House of Lords  Official Report, column WA145. In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my spokesman on 18 February 2008. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website
	http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page14595.asp
	and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Efficiency in Public Services Review: Written Questions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1343W, on efficiency in public services review: written questions, what assessment he has made of the compliance of  (a) the Home Office,  (b) the Ministry of Defence and  (c) other Government departments with the guidance to officials on drafting answers to parliamentary questions in responding to parliamentary questions on redundancies and related costs arising from the conclusions of the Gershon Review; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: All Departments, including the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office, publish performance against their Gershon targets in detail in their annual reports. Copies of these reports and further mid-year departmental reports are available in the Libraries of the House.

Farnborough Air Show

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the Farnborough Air Show.

Gordon Brown: I have no current plans to do so.

British Food

James Paice: To ask the Prime Minister what proportion of food served in 10 Downing Street was of British origin in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2007, broken down by food type; and what proportion was sourced from countries outside the EU in each case.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor, the right hon. Tony Blair, on 31 January 2007,  Official Report, column 303W.

Human Embryo Experiments

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister how many  (a) letters and  (b) postcards he has received since July from (i) members of the public, (ii) hon. Members and (iii) members of the House of Lords on (A) the creation of human/animal hybrids and (B) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill; how many and what percentage (I) supported and (II) opposed each; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: Since July my Office has received approximately 5,800 letters about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Given the volume of correspondence I receive, thousands of letters each week covering a broad spectrum of issues, my Office records letters by subject rather than by view expressed.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister how many special advisers he employs; and how much each of them is paid.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement on 22 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 147-150WS.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) reports and  (b) studies on post-abortion syndrome have been considered by his Department since January 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department considered all of the information on the issue of the mental health risks of induced abortion which was submitted to the recent House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiry on the scientific developments relating to the Abortion Act 1967.
	We have commissioned the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to review all evidence relating to induced abortion, to update its 2004 clinical guideline on "The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion".

Accident and Emergency Departments: Admissions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients attending accident and emergency (A&E) departments were subsequently admitted to hospital via A&E in each quarter since January 2003.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 28 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1878W.

Blood: Donors

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what legal advice his Department has received on the compatibility of the ban on gay men giving blood with anti-discrimination legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: In April 2007, the Government introduced the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 (Statutory Instruments No. 1263). During the drafting of these regulations, consideration was given to the matter of blood donation from gay men. This led to specific provision being made in the regulations.
	The aim of donor selection criteria is to protect the health of the population and current arrangements have proved to be an essential element in reducing transfusion-transmitted infections.

Cannabis: Rehabilitation

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support is available to people who are trying to stop using cannabis.

Dawn Primarolo: In each local authority area, a commissioner with responsibility for specialist substance misuse will specify and commission a range of drug treatment services based on a needs assessment. Within any local drug treatment system, we would expect appropriate specialist treatment provision for people whose primary problem is cannabis, as well as for those people whose primary problem is with another drug who also experience problems with cannabis use.
	The latest evidence-based approaches to treating problematic cannabis use in both adults and young people are outlined in the recently updated clinical guidelines, "Clinical Guidelines on drug misuse and dependence (2007)", and within the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines on psychosocial interventions in drug misuse(1). There is an expectation that treatment provided will be in line with these guidelines.
	Information for young people and their families/carers is also available through Frank, the Government's drugs information campaign launched in May 2003. Frank provides a 24-hour a day helpline staffed by a team of trained advisers who can provide information and advice on any issue relating to drugs, including cannabis, as well as making referrals to local agencies when a caller requires face-to-face help and support. Frank also provides a website, talktofrank.com, which is a comprehensive source of information and advice on drugs.
	(1) NICE clinical guideline 51—drug misuse: psychosocial interventions.

Chlamydia: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1377W, on Chlamydia: screening, what steps have been taken to work with the strategic health authorities which are not reaching the 15 per cent. screening target.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) is managed by the Health Protection Agency. The NCSP Team and regional facilitators are working with all programme areas to support them in reaching the target. The Department is working through performance management routes to increase screening volumes and the National Support Team for sexual health is supporting the areas finding it most challenging to meet their targets.

Clear

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what payments his Department and its agencies have made to communications consultancy, Clear; and for what purpose. [Official Report, 2 June 2008, Vol. 476, c. 7MC.]

Ben Bradshaw: The Department paid invoices to Clear totalling £4,230.00 between May and June 2004. Records do not show the purpose of these invoices.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his Department's civil servants were  (a) suspended and  (b) dismissed for accessing (i) obscene and (ii) other prohibited material on work computers in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: No civil servants have been dismissed or suspended for accessing obscene or other prohibited material in the two years since January 2006. Before that date, information is not available without recourse to individual personnel records and would entail disproportionate costs to collect.
	To ensure acceptable use of information technology (IT) all permanent and temporary members of staff have to actively agree a reminder on the subject every time they log on to the Department's IT network. Frequent communications on IT security and acceptable use of IT are distributed to system users, notably on the departmental intranet.

Departmental Standards

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1690W, on departmental standards, which financial control total each East of England trust listed in the document placed in the Library did not meet in 2006-07; and by how much the control total was not met by each trust.

Ivan Lewis: The following table shows the 14 trusts (primary care trusts (PCTs) and national health service trusts) that failed to meet their financial plan target as agreed between the strategic health authority and themselves and by how much.
	
		
			  Name of PCT/NHS trust  Difference between planned and audited outturn (£ million) 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 9.6 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 34.7 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 6.8 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 4.1 
			 Luton PCT 12.7 
			 Mid Essex PCT 1.7 
			 Norfolk PCT 24.0 
			 South East Essex Teaching PCT 1.6 
			 South West Essex Teaching PCT 1.3 
			 Suffolk PCT 12.1 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 9.4 
			 Bedford Hospitals NHS Trust 1.0 
			 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 15.1 
			 North Essex Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust 1.1

Diseases

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases there were of  (a) mumps,  (b) rickets,  (c) whooping cough,  (d) scarlet fever,  (e) cholera,  (f) diphtheria,  (g) leprosy,  (h) botulism,  (i) gout,  (j) impetigo,  (k) scurvy,  (l) listeria,  (m) tuberculosis,  (n) polio,  (o) typhus and  (p) typhoid in England in each of the last five years, broken down by strategic health authority.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on rickets, gout, impetigo and scurvy is not held centrally.
	Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.

Food: Salt

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility his Department has for Government policy on the effects of salt intake on health.

Dawn Primarolo: The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommended that a reduction in the average population salt intake would proportionally lower population average blood pressure levels and confer significant public health benefits by contributing to a decrease in the burden of cardiovascular disease. The Department prioritised salt reduction in its White Paper "Choosing Health—Making healthy choices easier", in which it committed to having discussions with industry to increase opportunities for people to make healthy choices in what they eat.
	The Department and the Food Standards Agency have been working in partnership to deliver the SACN recommendation and reduce the average population salt intakes to six grams, as set out in the Department's "Food and Health Action Plan" and the agency's "Strategic Plan" up to 2010.
	Reducing the rising burden of lifestyle diseases is also one of the high-level priorities that the Department will have a particular focus on for 2008-09, with the Department having a leading role working with partners across the public and private sectors, nationally and regionally.

Health Services: Admissions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many attendances at  (a) walk-in centres,  (b) minor injuries units and  (c) type 1 accident and emergency departments there were in each quarter since January 2003.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 28 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1876-78W.

Health Services: Overseas Visitors

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the policies of EU Member States in respect of reimbursement of patient expenditure on  (a) biological treatments and  (b) abatacept; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has made no such assessment.

Health: Climate Change

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Government has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effects of climate change on public health in the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1460W.

Hepatitis

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new diagnoses of hepatitis C there were in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is available in the Health Protection Agency's annual report, "Hepatitis C in England, the Health Protection Agency Annual Report 2007", copies of which have been placed in the Library.

HIV Infection

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure the NHS incurred on average on the treatment and care of a patient with HIV in each of the first five years from diagnosis.

Dawn Primarolo: Costs of treating people with HIV vary depending on the severity of symptoms and level of immune suppression. Estimated annual costs of HIV treatment, including the costs of combination antiretroviral therapies range between £12,000-£19,000 per person. Total national health service expenditure on HIV treatment in 2006-07 was £497 million. This was the first year these data have been collected since HIV treatment and care budgets were placed into the NHS baselines in 2002-03.

Human Embryo Experiments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) letters and  (b) postcards he has received since July from (i) members of the public, (ii) hon. Members and (iii) members of the House of Lords about (A) the creation of human/animal hybrids and (B) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill; how many and what percentage (1) supported and (2) opposed each; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has received two relevant postcard campaigns since July 2007. We have received 6,093 postcards on a campaign organised by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, which we started receiving in September 2007, part of which expresses opposition to any Bill that could lead to admixed embryos. We have also received 1,461 postcards issued by the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group, which we started receiving in February 2008, asking hon. Members to vote against the creation of admixed embryos.
	In addition to these campaigns, the Department has received a large volume of correspondence on issues surrounding embryos research, however due to the way in which correspondence is recorded the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

In Vitro Fertilisation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many human embryos were  (a) lost,  (b) damaged and  (c) destroyed due to accidents at fertility clinics in each year since 2000; what steps he has (i) taken and (ii) plans to take to prevent such accidents; what guidance on the matter he has (A) issued and (B) plans to issue in the next 12 months to fertility clinics; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has informed the Department that it does not require clinics to submit the information requested as part of its routine data collection. However, incidents involving loss, damage or accidental destruction of embryos should be notified to the HFEA in accordance with the requirement to report adverse incidents that occur in licensed establishments.
	The HFEA uses the adverse incident reporting system to help clinics learn from mistakes and to develop control measures to reduce the risk of incidents reoccurring. Information about risk control measures is issued to clinics in the form of HFEA alerts and patient safety notices. Past alerts have included guidance on transportation of embryos and associated risks and risks involving power supply and critical equipment. The HFEA's Code of Practice also makes clear that where adverse incidents occur, clinics are expected to review relevant procedures to minimise the risk of any reoccurrence of the incident and inform the HFEA of the revised procedures.
	The HFEA has advised the Department that it intends to continue the development of its systems for improving risk management in clinics and dissemination of critical information in response to individual incidents.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births were the result of IVF or donor insemination between 2002 and 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Total number of babies born in the UK as a result of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and donor insemination treatments 2002-05( 1) 
			   IVF( 2)  Donor insemination( 3) 
			 2002 9,760 889 
			 2003 10,076 821 
			 2004 10,190 749 
			 2005(1) 11,268 645 
			  Notes:  1. 2005 are the most recent year for which information is currently available. 2. Data include all IVF treatment cycles including use of donated eggs, frozen embryo transfers and treatment cycles involving the use of micromanipulation techniques. 3. Data include treatment cycles involving artificial insemination and Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer.  Source:  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), A long term analysis of the HFEA register data 1991-2006, revised February 2008.

Influenza: Vaccination

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners aged 65 and over received free influenza inoculations in  (a) Bexley and  (b) London in each year since they became available.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Vaccination uptake (percentage) among the 65 years and over for Bexley and London for each year between 2000 and 2007 (cumulative data) 
			  Survey year  Strategic health authority (SHA)/primary care trust (PCT)  Total persons vaccinated  Total percentage uptake 
			 2000-01 Bexley and Greenwich PCT 40,887 63 
			  London SHA 462,917 60 
			 2001-02 Bexley and Greenwich PCT 74,257 65 
			  London SHA 538,935 62 
			 2002-03 Bexley PCT 23,478 67 
			  London SHA 608,562 63 
			 2003-04 Bexley PCT 24,825 71 
			  London SHA 636,146 66 
			 2004-05 Bexley PCT 24,117 68 
			  London SHA 626,133 67 
			 2005-06 Bexley PCT 25,684 73 
			  London SHA 677,115 72 
			 2006-07 Bexley PCT 14,105 71 
			  London SHA 620,801 70 
			 2007-08(1) Bexley PCT 15,743 68.9 
			  London SHA 641,558 71.1 
			 (1 )Data for this year's survey (2007-08) should be taken as provisional until final figures are published.  Note: Uptake figures include only those general practitioner (GP) practices which have returned confirmation to the survey and reflect data for individuals vaccinated at these premises.  Source:  GP practices.

Meat Hygiene Service: Inspections

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) abattoirs and  (b) meat processing plants are subject to inspection by the Meat Hygiene Service.

Dawn Primarolo: As at 28 February 2008, there were 393 abattoirs subject to audit and inspection by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) and 752 cutting plants subject to audit by the MHS.

Meat Hygiene Service: Manpower

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) veterinarians and  (b) technicians worked for the Meat Hygiene Service in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: In each of the last three years, the Meat Hygiene Service had an annual average full-time equivalent of staff as follows:
	
		
			   Number of staff (full-time equivalent) 
			  2006-07  
			 Official Veterinary Surgeons 354 
			 Meat Inspectors and Meat Technicians 1,397 
			   
			  2005-06  
			 Official Veterinary Surgeons 382 
			 Meat Inspectors and Meat Technicians 1,357 
			   
			  2004-05  
			 Official Veterinary Surgeons 386 
			 Meat Inspectors and Meat Technicians 1,348

Medicine: China

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of  (a) the potential health effects of Chinese medicine techniques and  (b) the effectiveness of the regulations governing the use of Chinese medicine techniques; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government consider that decision making on individual clinical interventions, whether conventional, or complementary/alternative treatments, are a matter for local national health service service providers and practitioners. In making such decisions, they have to take into account evidence for the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the treatment, the availability of suitably qualified practitioners, and the needs of the individual patient. Clinical responsibility rests with the NHS professional who makes the decision to refer and who must therefore be able to justify any treatment they recommend. If they are unconvinced about the suitability of a particular treatment, they cannot be made to refer.
	A working group, chaired by Professor Mike Pittilo of Robert Gordon University, has completed its work looking at proposals for regulation of herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture which were made in a report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology in 2000. Their report will be submitted to Ministers shortly, and a decision will then be taken about whether, and if so, how soon, legislation should be brought forward.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Minister of State will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 23 January, about the painkiller drug Vioxx.

Dawn Primarolo: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 26 February 2008.

NHS: Questionnaires

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 310W, to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron), on NHS: questionnaires, what the cost to the public purse was of each questionnaire on which his Department has worked with Ipsos MORI in financial year 2007-08.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2007-08, the overall cost, to date, of the surveys conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Department, is £10,432,843.

West Suffolk Hospital: Clostridium

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients at  (a) West Suffolk Hospital,  (b) Addenbrookes Hospital and  (c) Ipswich Hospital died from Clostridium difficile in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 March 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many patients at (a) West Suffolk Hospital, (b) Addenbrookes Hospital and (c) Ipswich Hospital died from  Clostridium difficile in each of the last five years. (191591)
	Special analyses of deaths involving  Clostridium difficile in England and Wales are undertaken annually by ONS. The latest year for which figures are available is 2006. Information on the numbers of deaths between 1999 and 2006 involving  Clostridium difficile was published in Health Statistics Quarterly in February 2008.(1) This publication is available in the House of Commons library.
	ONS has not yet released any figures on deaths involving  Clostridium difficile for individual hospitals. The possibility of producing figures for hospitals in the future is currently being investigated.
	(1) Office for National Statistics (2006) Report: Deaths involving  Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 1999-2006. "Health Statistics Quarterly" 37, 52-56.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Disadvantaged

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to use the Building Schools for the Future programme to benefit deprived communities and rebuild schools that are most in need.

Jim Knight: To ensure that Building Schools for the Future reaches the schools that are in most need, prioritisation was based on the greatest educational and social need of geographically coherent groupings of schools proposed by local authorities, GCSE results and eligibility for free school meals were used as proxies for these needs. Once in the programme, authorities must demonstrate through their Strategy for Change submissions that they are addressing the educational and physical |priorities in their estates.

Regional Development Agencies: Finance

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he has allocated any resources to be spent via the regional development agencies' single pot in 2007-08.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DfUS) has allocated £44.5 million to be spent via the regional development agencies single pot in 2007-08.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to answer question 173128, on user survey research, tabled on 6 December 2007 by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 5 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2649-50W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support: Administration

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether employees at the Child Support Agency were given an indication of the timescale under which older cases would be put onto the new child support system.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 7 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether employees at the Child Support Agency were given indication of the timescale in which older cases would be put onto the new child support system.
	We have always made clear that the bulk migration and conversion of cases from the old scheme to the new scheme would only take place when the Agency and Ministers are satisfied that the arrangements are working well for new clients. Our people were informed of that position from the outset and it has been reiterated on a number of occasions.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Credit Unions

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in which constituencies credit unions have received financial assistance from the public purse in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The information placed in the House of Commons Library provides details of constituencies, by Government office region, where Growth Fund contracted Credit Union or Community Development Finance Institutions, and their subcontractors, are located. It also provides details of the number of loans made and their value to date in those regions.
	The affordable loans are being made to people on low income in areas of high financial exclusion with coverage extending beyond constituency boundaries.
	The information will be updated and placed in the House of Commons Library on a quarterly basis.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department's civil servants have been  (a) suspended and  (b) dismissed for accessing (i) obscene and (ii) other prohibited material on work computers in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The Department records information on the number of staff suspended and dismissed but does not break it down into the categories requested.
	The Department's disciplinary policy is published on the Department's intranet and is accessible to all staff. The policy reflects the requirements in section 4.5 of the Civil Service Management Code.
	Specific guidance on the use of the Department's IT, including consequences of misuse, is set out in the electronic media policy also published on the intranet.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has published two final (regulatory) impact assessments ((R)IA) since March 2007. These relate to the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, and the Pensions Bill which are currently before Parliament. A copy of each of these (R)IAs is available in the Library.
	Information on published final (regulatory) impact assessments can be found in Command Papers available at:
	http://bre.berr.gov.uk/regulation/ria/regulatory_reporting/index.asp
	From April 2008, all final impact assessments will be published on a central website.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department and its agencies spent on  (a) alcohol and  (b) entertaining in the last 12 months.

Anne McGuire: The estimated spend on Hospitality for the Department for Work and Pensions for the period February 2007 to January 2008 (inclusive) is £57,000. This equates to 0.00094 per cent. of the total departmental expenditure limit (DEL) spend for 2006-07. Hospitality comprises expenditure on meals, drinks and snacks for non-civil servants.
	The Department for Work and Pensions does not currently keep a separate record of expenditure on alcohol for hospitality purposes. Such expenditure is included within the hospitality account. Expenditure on alcohol and entertaining fall within the classification "Hospitality" within Managing Public Money, the use of which is strictly prescribed, and in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which is based on the principles set out in Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. Accordingly, alcohol is provided only as an exception and only with the specific written authority of a small number of designated senior civil servants.

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the salary range is for each pay band of civil servants in his Department.

Anne McGuire: The following tables show the salary ranges for pay bands in the Department for Work and Pensions.
	
		
			  Pay ranges for administrative pay bands in DWP junior civil service from 1 July 2007 
			  £ 
			   2007 
			  Pay b and  Minimum  Maximum 
			 Band A/AA London Inner 16,120 17,730 
			 Band A/AA London Outer 14,860 16,590 
			 Band A/AA National 12,590 14,270 
			 Band A/AA Specified Location Pay Zone 14,380 16,090 
			
			 Band B/AO London Inner 17,940 21,310 
			 Band B/AO London Outer 16,670 20,170 
			 Band B/AO National 14,270 17,600 
			 Band B/AO Specified Location Pay Zone 16,170 19,670 
			
			 Band C/EO London Inner 22,130 27,850 
			 Band C/EO London Outer 20,860 26,680 
			 Band C/EO National 18,710 23,990 
			 Band C/EO Specified Location Pay Zone 20,590 26,210 
			
			 Band D/HEO London Inner 27,970 33,190 
			 Band D/HEO London Outer 26,800 32,020 
			 Band D/HEO National 24,410 29,500 
			 Band D/HEO Specified Location Pay Zone 26,280 31,550 
			
			 Band E/SEO London Inner 34,040 40,030 
			 Band E/SEO London Outer 32,780 38,860 
			 Band E/SEO National 30,170 36,130 
			 Band E/SEO Specified Location Pay Zone 32,280 38,400 
			
			 Band F/Grade 7 London Inner 43,960 57,490 
			 Band F/Grade 7 London Outer 42,940 56,410 
			 Band F/Grade 7 National 39,930 52,950 
			 Band F/Grade 7 Specified Location Pay Zone 42,430 55,940 
			
			 Band G/Grade 6 London Inner 57,670 70,010 
			 Band G/Grade 6 London Outer 56,400 69,050 
			 Band G/Grade 6 National 52,830 64,790 
			 Band G/Grade 6 Specified Location Pay Zone 55,890 68,580 
			
			 Support Grade Band 2 London Inner 16,270 17,630 
			 Support Grade Band 2 London Outer 15,280 16,650 
			 Support Grade Band 2 National 13,020 14,340 
			
			 Support Grade Band 1 London Inner 18,050 19,360 
			 Support Grade Band 1 London Outer 17,030 18,390 
			 Support Grade Band 1 National 14,610 15,910 
			
			 Cleaner National 12,980 12,980 
			 Senior Cleaner National 13,160 13,160 
			
			 Support Manager 2 London Inner 23,610 26,660 
			 Support Manager 2 London Outer 22,610 25,700 
			 Support Manager 2 National 20,430 23,400 
			
			 Support Manager 3 London Inner 21,230 23,270 
			 Support Manager 3 London Outer 20,240 22,300 
			 Support Manager 3 National 17,620 19,590 
		
	
	
		
			  Amalgamated pay ranges for specialist pay bands in DWP junior civil service from 1 July 2007( 1) 
			  £ 
			   2007 
			  Specialist pay band  Minimum  Maximum 
			 Band C/EO London Inner 22,130 32,070 
			 Band C/EO London Outer 20,860 31,100 
			 Band C/EO National 18,710 28,780 
			 Band C/EO Specified Location Pay Zone 20,590 31,000 
			
			 Band D/HEO London Inner 27,970 39,480 
			 Band D/HEO London Outer 26,800 38,500 
			 Band D/HEO National 24,410 35,760 
			 Band D/HEO Specified Location Pay Zone 26,280 38,090 
			
			 Band E/SEO London Inner 34,040 48,510 
			 Band E/SEO London Outer 32,780 47,040 
			 Band E/SEO National 30,170 44,040 
			 Band E/SEO Specified Location Pay Zone 32,280 46,570 
			
			 Band F/Grade 7 London Inner 46,200 61,100 
			 Band F/Grade 7 London Outer 45,180 59,940 
			 Band F/Grade 7 National 41,950 56,250 
			 Band F/Grade 7 Specified Location Pay Zone 44,650 59,400 
			
			 Band G/Grade 6 London Inner 57,670 80,470 
			 Band G/Grade 6 London Outer 56,400 79,510 
			 Band G/Grade 6 National 52,830 74,600 
			 Band G/Grade 6 Specified Location Pay Zone 55,890 78,970 
			 (1) This shows the minimum and maximum salary which a specialist pay range demonstrates at this level. 
		
	
	
		
			  Pay ranges for senior civil service pay bands in DWP from 1 April 2007 
			  £ 
			  Senior civil service pay band  Minimum  Progression target rate (PTR)  Recruitment and performance ceiling (RPC) 
			 1 56,100 78,540 116,000 
			 1 (London) 59,600 82,040 116,000 
			 2 81,600 — 160,000 
			 3 99,960 — 205,000 
			 Permanent Secretary 139,740 — 273,250

Departmental Plants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on pot plants in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: DWP occupies its properties under the terms of the PRIME PFI contract and pays an inclusive facilities unit price for the accommodation. The contract includes the provision of interior plants. The cost of those plants is not separately identifiable.

Departmental Public Relations

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many external contracts his Department held with public relations companies in each of the last 10 years; and what the total cost of those contracts was.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed on 8 June 2001 from parts of the former Department of Social Security, the former Department for Education and Employment and the Employment Service. Information on costs prior to 2001 is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In addition numbers of contracts prior to 2005-06 were not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department runs a number of promotional campaigns to increase awareness of people's rights and responsibilities or changes to legislation. PR agencies are taken on where messages are most effectively promoted by supplementing 'paid-for' advertising (press/TV/radio) with public relations activity.
	The following table details spend on PR campaigns and numbers of contracts and totals:
	
		
			  April-March  Numbers of contracts  Cost (thousand) 
			 2001-02 — 59 
			 2002-03 — 698 
			 2003-04 — 1,412 
			 2004-05 — 1,435 
			 2005-06 5 1,206 
			 2006-07 7 1,061 
			 Total 12 5,871

Employment Agencies

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department paid to recruitment agencies in relation to departmental appointments in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: I refer the hon. member to the reply given on 18 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 224-25W.

Honours

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many members of the senior Civil Service in his Department have received an honour.

Anne McGuire: There are 20 current members of the senior civil service in DWP who have received an honour.

Incapacity Benefit: Medical Examinations

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual cost of medical examinations for those on incapacity benefit is expected to be under his proposed system.

Anne McGuire: The medical assessment process for employment and support allowance (ESA) will be delivered under contract by Atos Healthcare. The net additional cost to deliver this part of ESA is estimated to be in the region of £200 million for the period up to August 2015. This covers the costs of the new medical assessments including the new work focused health-related assessment, gathering information from customers and health care professionals, investments in information technology and Estates infrastructure, overheads and set-up costs.

Incapacity Benefit: Part-Time Employment

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government plans to take to stop incapacity benefits claimants from being discouraged to seek part-time work.

Anne McGuire: Incapacity benefits claimants are actively encouraged to do part-time work through the permitted work rules.
	Any claimant is able to do some work providing their earnings do not exceed £20 a week.
	People who are exempt from the personal capability assessment, or those who work as part of a hospital treatment programme, or those who work with supervision by a public or local authority or a voluntary organisation which finds or provides work for people with disabilities, can do permitted work for an unlimited period if their earnings do not exceed £88.50 a week.
	People who may be able to return to full-time work are encouraged to attempt work by a further rule which allows people to work for up to 52 weeks providing earnings do not exceed £88.50 and the work lasts less than 16 hours weekly.
	Jobcentre Plus provides a number of specialist programmes and services which support incapacity benefits claimants to move into paid work. These include Pathways to Work, New Deal for Disabled People, Access to Work, Work Preparation, Residential Training, Workstep (a programme of supported employment) and the Job Introduction Scheme. The Return to Work Credit offers eligible customers, in Pathways to Work areas, who find work of at least 16 hours a week, a weekly payment of £40 for up to 52 weeks if their gross annual earnings are below £15,000. Disability employment advisers and incapacity benefit personal advisers provide advice and support for people looking for work.

Jobcentres: Telephone Services

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the telephone service in jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 7 March 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the telephony service in Jobcentres. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The modernisation of our telephone service means it is easier for customers to call and speak to the right person or department without having to be transferred, and to receive a more efficient and professional service. Our service is now more flexible as it enables customers to access our services by telephone from their home over longer hours than was previously possible, and avoids them having to visit their local office to make a claim, enquire about benefits and/or seek access for job search support.
	We deal with over 69,000 calls every weekday to our contact centres. We are currently answering 95.8% of calls to our new claims service. Similarly for customers seeking to access our job broking services we are achieving 94.4% of calls answered.
	Following the introduction of the telephone service for Social Fund Crisis Loans we have experienced an increase of between 41-114% in call volumes (depending on the site) month on month compared to two years ago for applications to the Social Fund Crisis Loans service and as a result some offices have struggled to cope. To improve this service we are currently deploying an additional 700 staff based in our contact centres. This has enabled us to answer over 90% of calls and take nearly 40,000 applications per week.
	Jobcentre Plus is continually looking for ways of improving its services and we are discussing with our telephone service providers what changes could be made to improve queue management. We are making a significant investment in the most up to date telephony infrastructure to upgrade both telephony and the available management information, to enable the effective handling of peaks and troughs of the calls we receive. The new management information system will also provide us with improved data to help monitor and develop our telephony service.

Low Incomes

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how his Department defines material deprivation; and whether this definition has changed since 1997.

Stephen Timms: Our material deprivation measure is designed to be a wider measure of families' living standards.
	We define it as the number of children living in households suffering a combination of relative low income (70 per cent. of contemporary median) and material deprivation.
	The available material deprivation figures and details of the methodology can be found in 'PSA Delivery Agreement 9: Halve the number of children in poverty by 2010-11, on the way to eradicating child poverty by 2020', available on the HM Treasury website. The measure was first set out in detail in CSR 2007 and has not changed.

New Deal for Lone Parents

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals under the New Deal for Lone Parents beyond its current level two in order to extend access to personal development opportunities.

Stephen Timms: New deal for lone parent funding for education and training is usually used for courses up to NVQ/SNVQ Level two or equivalent. However, where it is clear that a lone parent can achieve an NVQ/SNVQ Level three in 52 weeks, and the training can be completed within the 52 week period of entitlement (for example where the lone parent has the appropriate qualification levels in the subject), funding to NVQ/SNVQ Level three could be considered. In all cases consideration must be given to whether the training will lead to sustainable employment.

Pensions Service: Telephone Services

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions why the arrangement for free calls to the 0800 Pension Service number from mobile telephones was ended.

Mike O'Brien: It has always been the case that customers making a call to a 0800 or 0845 Pension Service number from a mobile phone, non BT phone network or from abroad, will be charged at the specific operators' call rate.
	This is a part of a broader policy, implemented by Ofcom who are the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries.

Poverty

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets have been set for poverty reduction by 2010; and what progress has been made towards them.

Stephen Timms: We have set a target to halve the number of children in relative poverty by 2010-11 from a starting point of 3.4 million in 1999-99. In addition we have a further target to eradicate child poverty by 2020.
	Significant progress has been made so far, with 600,000 fewer children living in relative poverty in 2005-06 compared with 1998-99.

Social Security Benefits: Disabled

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 13 December 2007,  Official Report, column 68WS, on disability benefits (European Court of Justice) what progress has been made in discussions with the European Commission to clarify the extent of the Government's responsibilities following the judgment in the European Court of Justice of 18 October 2007.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the payment of disability living allowance to UK citizens resident in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: We are continuing our discussions with the European Commission and expect to publish eligibility criteria for payment of the disability benefits within the European Economic Area and Switzerland on the Department's website, www.dwp.gov.uk, and the Directgov website, www.direct.gov.uk, by 5 April 2008.
	A further statement will be made to Parliament in due course.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Government has spent on the Shop Benefit Fraudsters advertisements.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions runs public information campaigns about benefit fraud. These campaigns are not simply about encouraging people to 'shop benefit fraudsters', the campaigns are designed to positively reinforce honest behaviour, to create a climate of intolerance to benefit fraud and to undermine its social acceptability. The advertising expenditure for these campaigns is in the following table.
	
		
			   Advertising spend (£000) 
			 2001-02 8,039 
			 2002-03 35 
			 2003-04 8,383 
			 2004-05 6,017 
			 2005-06 7,042 
			 2006-07 5,418 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are for the advertising spend on the Targeting Fraud (2001 to 2002), Targeting Benefit Fraud (2003 to 2006) and Targeting Benefit Thieves (2006 to 2007) campaigns. 2. All figures are exclusive of VAT. 3. The figures in these tables refer to media spend only, excluding production and other costs. 4. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

Widows: Bereavement Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the eligibility criteria are for who may receive widow's benefits on the death of a husband; and whether there is a cap on the number of wives who may do so.

James Plaskitt: Bereavement benefits are available to men and women determined by their deceased spouse or civil partner's national insurance contributions.
	The bereavement payment is a tax-free lump sum payment of £2,000. It is payable if the surviving spouse or civil partner is under pension age when they are bereaved or if they are over state pension age and their late spouse or civil partner was not entitled to a category A state pension.
	The bereavement allowance is payable for a maximum period of 52 weeks from the date of bereavement. It is a weekly benefit payable to widows, widowers and surviving civil partners who are aged between 45 and state pension age.
	Widowed parent's allowance is payable to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner who has a dependent child or qualifying young person (aged from 16 to 20).
	We do not recognise polygamous wives for the purpose of contributory benefits based on a husband's contributions, because the legislation provides that there can only be one spouse.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households  (a) with more than £100,000 annual income and  (b) in each household income decile have (i) one member and (ii) two members in receipt of (A) £100 a week, (B) £150 a week, (C) £200 a week and (D) £300 a week winter fuel payment.

Mike O'Brien: The information is not available in the format requested.
	An annual winter fuel payment of £200 is paid to a person aged 60 or over living at home (£100 if they share a home with someone else eligible for a winter fuel payment—this may be a spouse, partner, sibling or friend). £300 is payable to a person payments are available to almost all people aged 60 or over. Eligibility is not based on income; they were designed to give older people reassurance that they could turn up their heating in winter.
	In 2005-06, the latest year for which details are available, Winter Fuel Payments were made to around 100,000 households containing pensioners with equivalised total annual income above £100,000.
	The available information on the distribution of winter fuel payment by income decile is given in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Equilivalised income decile (after housing costs)  Number of households containing pensioners in receipt of winter fuel payments 
			 Decile 1 (lowest incomes) 0.6 
			 Decile 2 0.8 
			 Decile 3 1.4 
			 Decile 4 1.2 
			 Decile 5 1.1 
			 Decile 6 0.9 
			 Decile 7 0.8 
			 Decile 8 0.8 
			 Decile 9 0.7 
			 Decile 10 (highest incomes) 0.6 
			  Notes:  1. Data are provided on an after housing costs basis, which is our preferred measure for Pensioners.  2. These statistics employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or "equivalised") for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. These figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors.  3. The figures are survey based and based in part on imputed information. In 2005-06, WFPs were made to 8.2 million households.   Source:  Family Resources Survey 2005-06.

Winter Fuel Payments: Eltham

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received a winter fuel payment in  (a) Eltham constituency and  (b) Greenwich borough in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: In winter 2006-07, 14,360 people in Eltham constituency and 32,070 people in the borough of Greenwich received a winter fuel payment. We expect the numbers to be similar for winter 2007-08.
	 Notes
	1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned, by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	 Source:
	Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Drinking Water

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many litres of bottled water were purchased by his Department in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The following table shows the Northern Ireland Office's (excluding its agencies) expenditure the last three financial years on the provision of bottled water and ancillary services related to the provision, for example the supply of dispensers and cups.
	
		
			   Expenditure (£) 
			 2004-05 29,915 
			 2005-06 33,114 
			 2006-07 33,655 
		
	
	Information on the number of litres acquired is not held and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The Department is now committed to progressively reducing the usage of bottled water.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Basra Development Commission: Standards

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2007,  Official Report, column 730W, on Basra Development Commission: standards, whether the Commission is now fully functional; and what detailed objectives have been agreed for the Commission.

Douglas Alexander: The Basra Development Commission (BDC) was announced by Barham Saleh, the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, and the Basra Provincial Council, at the third Basra Development Forum on 12 December 2007.
	The Commission brings together national, regional and international business knowledge to provide advice on how to increase investment and economic growth in the province. It will serve as a high level advisory body championing inward investment and local business development, but not as a direct delivery agent. Michael Wareing, international CEO of KPMG, has been appointed as co-chair of the Commission. The other co-chair is Munadil al Miyahi, chair of the Basra Provincial Council's Economic Development Committee. Four other Iraqi Commissioners have now been confirmed by the Government. The full Commission met for the first time in Basra on 19 February.
	The next step for the Commission is to formulate a Basra Economic Development Strategy, to establish Working Groups and a Youth Unemployment Task Force to consider taking forward priority areas of work, and to lead gatherings for potential investors in Basra. The first will be an 'Invest Basra' conference in Kuwait, March 12-13. The purpose of the conference is to bring external investors together with individuals and companies offering serious investment opportunities in Basra province.

Ghana: Money

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2008,  Official Report, column 721W, on Ghana: money, what the exchange rate was on each transfer; how many Ghana new cedis were received for each; what commission was paid on each transfer; which exchange institution or bank was used for each; and what the purpose was of each.

Gillian Merron: Pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2008,  Official Report, column 721W, the exchange rates used and cedi equivalents for transactions are noted in the following table.
	Standard Chartered Bank is used for all transactions, with transfers from sterling to Ghana new cedis agreed on a no commission basis. Each payment was used to fund local expenditure through the DFID Ghana office.
	
		
			   Value (£)  Exchange rate (GHS to £) used  Amount in new Ghana cedis (GHS) 
			 7 August 2007 100,000 GHS 1.8750 187,500.00 
			 13 September 2007 125,000 GHS 1.8880 236,000.00 
			 5 November 2007 170,000 GHS 1.9850 337,450.00 
			 12 December 2007 83,000 GHS 1.9850 164,755.00 
			 9 January 2008 100,000 GHS 1.9100 191,000.00

Kosovo: Electricity

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the availability of supply of  (a) electricity and  (b) water in Kosovo; what assessment he has made of such availability in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: There is near-universal access to electricity, and the proportion of the population with an indoor water tap has risen from 64 per cent. in 2002-03 to 84 per cent. in 2005-06. However, power is frequently interrupted and water quality is uneven.
	Donors who are working to improve the quality of power and water supplies in Kosovo include the World Bank, the European Commission and the USA.
	The Kosovo Poverty Update 2007, prepared by the World Bank and Statistics Office of Kosovo gives detailed figures for access to water and electricity going back to 2002-03. These are the earliest readily available figures. It is available at:
	http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTKOSOVO/Country% 20Home/21541686/KosovoPAvol1.pdf

Kosovo: Internet

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of  (a) the number of internet users in Kosovo and  (b) the availability of access to internet services; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Very little data are available on internet access and usage in Kosovo.
	According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2006, 75 per cent. of young people report using the internet. This report is available at:
	http://www.kosovo.undp.org/repository/docs/hdr_eng.pdf

Mozambique: Money

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2008,  Official Report, column 722W, on Mozambique: money, what the exchange rate was on each transfer; how many Mozambiquan metacais were received for each; what commission was paid on each transfer; which exchange institution or bank was used for each; and what the purpose was of each.

Gillian Merron: Pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2008,  Official Report, column 722W, on Mozambique, the exchange rates and amounts received were as follows:
	
		
			   Value (£)  Mts  Rate 
			 16 August 2007 30,136.40 1,524,000 50.57 
			 5 September 2007 39,798.04 2,056,000 51.66 
			 1 October 2007 29,450.04 1,530,000 51.95 
			 19 October 2007 39,093.97 2,048,000 52.39 
			 12 November 2007 28,698.14 1,524,000 53.10 
			 28 November 2007 29,303.91 1,455,000 49.65 
			 9 January 2008 30,404.22 1,410,000 46.38 
		
	
	No commission was charged. All transactions were undertaken by Standard Bank as this is DFID Mozambique's Corporate Banking Service Provider. The purpose was to pay for locally incurred costs of running the DFID Mozambique office.

Uganda: Money

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 723-24W, on Uganda: money, what the date was of each transaction; which exchange institution or bank was used for each; and what the purpose was of each.

Gillian Merron: Over the past six months the DFID Uganda office has made four transactions through Barclays Bank Uganda above the value of £25,000 where US dollars were sent from the Department's headquarters in the UK to Barclays Bank Uganda, and were converted to Ugandan shillings in-country. The converted money was used where local payments in shillings are required, for example: local staff salaries; suppliers; utility bills; office rental costs; office supplies; transport and maintenance.
	
		
			   US dollars ($) transformed to shillings  Equivalent in £  Exchange rate ($ to s hs.)  Commission( 1) 
			 30 August 200,000 98,080.01 1,650 0 
			 24 September 200,000 99,642.31 1,755 0 
			 18 October 200,000 97,148 1,727 0 
			 14 November 300,000 143,929.2 1,675 0 
			 (1) DFID Uganda has negotiated with its bankers not to charge commission on any of its transactions as we do not receive interest from the money in its accounts.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Cetaceans: Conservation

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises in UK waters;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to protect the bottlenose dolphin.

Jonathan R Shaw: All cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which makes it an offence to intentionally kill or injure cetaceans. The Government strengthened the protection given to cetaceans through the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which introduced a new offence of recklessly disturbing cetaceans. The first successful conviction under the Act was in December 2007.
	All cetaceans are also listed under Annex IVa of the Council Directive (92/43/EEC) on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (the Habitats Directive), as species in need of strict protection. This directive is transposed into UK law by the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, protecting cetaceans from deliberate killing and capture.
	The UK is also a Party to ASCOBANS—the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North seas—which aims to restore and/or maintain biological or management stocks of small cetaceans at the level they would reach when there is the lowest possible anthropogenic influence and proposes to reach these aims through co-ordinating and implementing conservation measures for small cetaceans.
	We realise that the by-catch of cetaceans in some fisheries can be a problem. In an attempt to reduce fisheries by-catch DEFRA and the devolved administrations' fisheries departments published the UK Small Cetacean By-catch Response Strategy in March 2003. An update on the progress of implementing the strategy can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/marine/fisheries/conservation/cetaceans.htm
	As part of this strategy, the UK Government spent around £1.6 million from 2000-05 on research into cetacean by-catch caused by fishing effort and measures to mitigate against by-catch.

Cetaceans: Conservation

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to prevent the closure of the bottlenose dolphin sanctuary in the Moray Firth.

Jonathan R Shaw: This matter is within the devolved responsibility of the Scottish Executive. The hon. Gentleman may wish to write to the Executive about this matter.

Coastal Fishing

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the remit is of the study commissioned to monitor the environmental effects of inshore fishing; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Owners of inshore fishing vessels that target quota stocks and operate (i) off the north east coast centred around Hartlepool, (ii) off the east coast centred around Lowestoft, and (iii) in the Thames Estuary, will be invited to participate. The pilot will collect information on a range of indicators including fishing method, catches, discards, marketing and fuel consumption. This, and other information, will help inform the implementation of Fisheries 2027, a long-term vision for sustainable fisheries. DEFRA officials have spoken with a number of fishermen from the above areas who have expressed an interest in participating in the pilot and, in due course, they will be holding meetings in the three pilot areas to discuss details of the scheme. I have not offered compensation but costs of equipping participating vessels will be met by DEFRA. I will consider extending the pilot to recreational fishing following a review of the first six months of the scheme which I aim to have operational by the summer.

Energy Using Products Framework Directive

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the EnergyUsing Products Framework Directive does not disadvantage small and medium-sized manufacturers;
	(2)  how his Department plans to implement the provisions of the Energy Using Products Directive relating to progressive minimum standards for controls that installers will need to comply with when installing a boiler; if he will ensure that that implementation does not include requirements additional to those in the Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The Energy Using Products Framework Directive (EuP) by itself, does not have any direct impact on industry. Rather it establishes a Framework for the European Commission and member states to develop implementing measures setting eco-design requirements for specific products or product groups. It is only when these implementing measures have been agreed and enter into force that they require manufacturers to take action. Discussions on specific implementing measures are still ongoing.
	Similarly, as discussions between the Commission, member states and stakeholders relating to the proposed implementing measure for hot water heaters and boilers are still ongoing it is not yet possible to say what the exact requirements, if any, will be for controls nor what form this implementing measure will take.
	My officials have invited key stakeholders, including members of the boiler and water heater industry, to discuss the proposals currently being considered in this area and to raise any concerns on implications for the UK. The Commission is currently analysing responses from the industry and the alternative proposals it has put forward.

Fisheries

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many pelagic pair trawlers from each country of origin operated within each area in the UK's 12 nautical mile limit in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: During 2007, six French pair teams and one German pair team were observed. It is difficult to determine if the vessels were pelagic fishing at the time of observation as not all vessels were inspected. The German pair team accessed the UK 12 nautical mile limit in the North sea off the Northumberland coast, the French pair teams were all operating in the English channel. Activity within Scottish and Northern Ireland waters is a matter for those Administrations.

Fisheries: Enforcement

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what joint operations the Government has undertaken with its European counterparts in relation to fisheries protection and enforcement in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The table indicates the number of joint operations undertaken by the Marine and Fisheries Agency with its European counterparts since 2005.
	Op Shark relates to joint operations with the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium, or a combination thereof.
	Op St. Pierre relates to joint operations with France.
	Op Wasp relates to operations with the Republic of Ireland.
	Joint Deployment Plans (JDP) are operations under the auspices of the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA).
	
		
			   Op Shark  Op St. Pierre  Op Wasp  JDP 
			 2005 1 1 4 — 
			 2006 5 1 9 — 
			 2007 2 1 5 3 
		
	
	The aforementioned information does not include any joint operations that may have been undertaken by the Scottish and Northern Ireland authorities.

Fisheries: Enforcement

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many joint operations were undertaken between the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: No joint operations have been undertaken between the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency in the last 12 months.

Fisheries: Enforcement

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how he calculates the level of aerial surveillance required to enforce fisheries rules and regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Aerial surveillance requirements are a matter for the Marine and Fisheries Agency and take into account a variety of operational needs including levels and types of fishing activity and availability of other enforcement assets.

Fisheries: Enforcement

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what vessels from other EU member states undertake fisheries protection and enforcement within UK fishery limits; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Patrol vessels from other member states may operate in UK waters in the following circumstances:
	1. when taking part in Joint Deployment Plans organised by the Community Fisheries Control Agency.
	2. when taking part in joint exercises organised by the UK and one or more other member states.
	3. when inspecting their own vessels under their own initiative after notifying the UK authorities in accordance with EC Reg. 1042/2006.
	4. when inspecting OMS vessels under their own initiative, when permission from the UK must be sought in accordance with EC Reg. 1042/2006.
	To date, vessels from France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark have taken part in joint operations under options 1. and 2. France have notified the UK and inspected their own vessels under option 3. No vessels have or sought our permission to carry out operations under option 4.

Fisheries: Navy

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what effect the reduction in the funding to the Marine and Fisheries Agency from 2007-08 to 2008-09 had on discussions over the changes made to the new contract effective from 1 April 2008 with the Royal Navy on the number of Fishery Protection Squadron patrol days to be provided; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) received formal confirmation of its initial allocation shortly before the public announcement in DEFRA's press release of 21 February 2008. The operational budget has not been reduced. The MFA initial budget for 2008-09 is based on 2007-08 operational responsibilities. Additional resources for any other activities that the MFA may be asked to undertake in 2008-09 will be provided accordingly
	The MFA's operational requirements for monitoring, control and surveillance at sea under the new Royal Navy Agreement, were fully taken into account as part of the business planning and budget allocation process.

Fisheries: Navy

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will decide whether to alter the number of patrol days provided by the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron under the new contract; what consideration he has given to changing the number of days to  (a) 750,  (b) 650 and  (c) 600; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: There are no plans at present to alter the number of patrol days provided by the Royal Navy under the new agreement.
	The draft new agreement permits a maximum of 750 patrol days, and not less than 650 days, a year.

Heating

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the likely effects of Lot 1 of the Energy-using Products Directive on the UK heating controls industry.

Joan Ruddock: The Government's Market Transformation Programme is currently assessing the full range of possible impacts of the implementation of the Energy Using Products Directive based on the Commission's current proposals.
	Heating controls play an important role in reducing the energy used by heating systems. DEFRA officials held a large stakeholder meeting on 4 February to discuss the proposals in the public consultation launched on 17 January, which set out indicative standards for better use of existing controls and advanced controls for domestic heating, and to receive feedback from industry on the Commission's proposals on boilers and water heaters.
	Officials have also held a number of ad hoc meetings with key stakeholders from the boiler and water heater industry in order to discuss the implications of the proposals on boilers and water heaters for the UK.

Incinerators

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on the minimum levels of energy produced from waste that should be created by new build incinerators; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: New incinerators have to meet the requirements of the waste incineration directive (200/76/EC), article 6(6) which requires that
	"any heat generated by the incineration or the co-incineration process shall be recovered as far as practicable".
	Guidance published by DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government was first issued in early 2003 and deals with this, and all other requirements of the waste incineration directive. It does not, however, stipulate the minimum levels of energy produced from waste that should be created by new build incinerators. The guidance is available on the DEFRA website.

Marine and Fisheries Agency: Finance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account he took of the commitments and likely spending of the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) in the next financial year when reducing the MFA budget from 2007-08 to 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The operational budget has not been reduced. The Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) initial budget for 2008-09 is based on 2007-08 operational responsibilities. Additional resources for any other activities that the MFA may be asked to undertake in 2008-09 will be provided accordingly.
	The MFA received formal confirmation of its initial allocation shortly before the public announcement in DEFRA's press release of 21 February 2008.
	The commitments and requirements of the MFA were taken into account as part of the Department's business planning and budget allocation process.

Seas and Oceans: Nature Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1633W, whether the network of ecologically coherent and well-managed protected areas are those under Natura 2000 network; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The network of ecologically coherent and well-managed protected areas referred to in the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1633W, will include Natura sites, of which we currently have 76 Special protections areas with marine habitats for birds, and 72 special areas of conservation with marine habitats or species.
	The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has been consulting on seven initial offshore sites since December 2007. The consultation is due to close on 14 March 2008. However, we expect that the network will also include a number of marine conservation zones, as proposed under the forthcoming Marine Bill.

Seas and Oceans: Nature Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the majority of the marine Natura 2000 network protecting species and habitats of key importance to be in place; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Government are committed to having the majority of the Natura 2000 network in place by 2010, and is aiming for the network to be substantially completed by 2012.

Seas and Oceans: Nature Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many offshore marine sites his Department has surveyed for marine protected area status; when they were surveyed; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has been consulting on seven initial offshore marine sites since December 2007. These include: Braemar Pockmarks, Darwin Mounds, Haig Fras, North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef, Scanner Pockmark, Stanton Banks and Wyville Thomson Ridge. The consultation is due to close on 14 March 2008.
	Of the potential offshore Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) currently undergoing consultation, DEFRA funded surveys for Wyville Thomson Ridge in summer 2006, and Stanton Banks in summer 2003.
	Our programme of data collection and survey will continue to identify further sites. Currently, the 13 areas listed in the table have been surveyed for Natura 2000 sites for Annex I habitats through collaborative and commissioned survey. These areas will then be considered by the JNCC against the selection criteria. As a result, some may be recommended to Government as SACs over the next two years.
	
		
			  Site  Date of survey 
			 Rockall Bank in the Rockall Trough and Bank regional sea, north-west of Scotland Autumn 2005, 2006 and 2007 
			 Anton Dohrn seamount, north-west of Scotland Autumn 2005 
			 George Bligh Bank, north-west of Scotland Summer 2006 
			 Papa Bank, north of Scotland Summer 2006 
			 Hatton Bank, north-west of Scotland Summer 2006 
			 Rosemary Bank, north-west of Scotland Summer 2006 
			 Possible reefs in the northern Irish Sea Winter 2006-spring 2007 
			 Possible reefs in the mid-Irish Sea Spring 2007 
			 Possible reefs in the central and western English Channel Summer 2006 
			 Possible reefs in the eastern Irish Sea Summer 2005 
			 Sandbank in the northern Irish Sea Winter 2005, summer 2005 
			 Reefs west of the Hebrides Summer and autumn 2004 
			 Submarine canyons in the south-west Approaches Summer 2007 
		
	
	Further areas of search for "reefs and submarine structures made by leaking gases" will be surveyed by JNCC in 2008, 2009 and 2010 on the Scottish Continental Shelf, the offshore area in the North West of Scotland and the Irish sea.

Seas and Oceans: Nature Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1634W, on seas and oceans: Treaty of Lisbon, what provisions in the Treaty on the European Communities and the Treaty on European Union set out the respective competences of the EU and member states in relation to  (a) marine biological resources,  (b) marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy and  (c) the marine environment; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The conservation of marine biological resources under the Common Fisheries Policy is an exclusive competence of the European Union.
	All other aspects of marine biological resources and the marine environment are a shared competence.
	The Lisbon treaty will not change this, and will be reflected in articles 3(1)(d) and 4(2)(d) and (e) of the treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Tofu).

Waste Management: Finance

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) budget is for 2008-09; and what funding has been allocated to each of the individual organisations within BREW in that year.

Joan Ruddock: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2274W.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the answers given on 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1634W, on seas and oceans, were not provided on the named day.

Jonathan R Shaw: My ministerial colleagues and I aim to ensure that hon. Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the due day. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Departmental Cost Effectiveness

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress his Department has made on its zero-based budget review under the comprehensive spending review.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the Annex pertaining to my Department in "Meeting the Aspirations of the British people: the 2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review" (Cm 7227).
	BERR published on 20 December 2007 its Value-for-Money delivery agreement:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/about/strategyobjectives/Value%20 for%20Money%20Delivery%20Agreements/page43140.html

Departmental Freedom of Information

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what percentage of Freedom of Information requests received by his Department have given rise to responses that have been published by his Department.

Gareth Thomas: Our Department has adopted a selective disclosure log whereby only the most interesting and high profile pieces of information which may be of wider public interest are published on the Department's website. We believe that if the public has greater understanding of the sorts of information a public authority holds, it will enable them to make better informed requests for information in the future.
	In 2007 this resulted in 20 responses being published on the website which represents about 4 per cent. of cases which were processed during the year. In the two previous years, 2006 and 2005 since the FOI access right came into force approximately 2 per cent. of cases (13 and 15 respectively) were published on the Department's website.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people over the age of 55 have been recruited by his Department and its predecessors in each of the last three years.

Gareth Thomas: The figures for civil servants over the age of 55 recruited by my Department (BERR and before that DTI) in each of the last three years are as follows:
	
		
			   Over age 55 
			 2007 0 
			 2006 4 
			 2005 4 
		
	
	These are overall figures the Department, excluding its agencies and non-departmental bodies.

Departmental Private Finance Initiative

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which private finance initiative projects were approved by his Department in each of the last three financial years; and what the  (a) value and  (b) start date was of each.

Gareth Thomas: The capital value and start date for every signed PFI project are recorded centrally on the Treasury's website at
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private _partnerships/ppp_pfi_stats.cfm
	However I can confirm that BERR has not let any new PFI projects within the last three financial years.

Fairtrade Initiative

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will take steps to promote Fair Trade Fortnight 2008 among staff within his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Department will be promoting Fairtrade Fortnight through its contracted service provider. We will have posters and leaflets promoting fairtrade awareness in our restaurant areas.
	We will also have stalls telling customers what products are available that are fair-trade produce.
	During Fairtrade Fortnight we will also be hosting stalls from those companies who supply our service provider promoting their produce.

Frontiers: Security

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was spent in total by local trading standards units on border security and enforcement in each of the last three financial years.

Gareth Thomas: Border security is a matter for the Home Office.

Members: Correspondence

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he will reply to the letter of 5 November 2007 from the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire on World Trade Organisation agreements and the approach of the US Administration to on-line gambling.

Gareth Thomas: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member, this was due to an administrative error. A reply will be issued shortly.

Overseas Trade: Iran

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value of UK trade with Iran was in years  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07; and what it is expected to be in 2007-08.

Gareth Thomas: Trade statistics are usually published on a calendar year basis. The Office for National Statistics UK Balance of Payments Pink Book gives the following figures:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2005  2006 
			 UK exports of goods to Iran 452 423 
			 UK imports of goods from Iran 34 70 
			 UK exports of services to Iran 204 212 
			 UK imports of services from Iran 44 43 
			 UK exports of goods and services to Iran 656 635 
			 UK imports of goods and services from Iran 78 113 
		
	
	Data is not yet available for 2007 on a balance of payments basis. Using a slightly different definition, HM Revenue and Customs 'Overseas Trade Statistics' give:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2005  2006  2007 
			 UK exports of goods to Iran 463.9 431.4 400.3 
			 UK imports of goods from Iran 38.8 71.7 66.4

Personal Records: Data Protection

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether a Government response was issued to the recommendations of the Council for Science and Technology's 2005 report entitled, Better use of personal information: opportunities and risks.

Michael Wills: I have been asked to reply.
	There was no formal Government response to the Council for Science and Technology's 2005 report and the Government have not specifically implemented the recommendations. However, the report has been a valuable source of information in developing its thinking on how information is used and protected.
	On 25 October the Prime Minister asked Dr. Mark Walport and the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, to carry out an independent review of the use and sharing of personal information in the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Justice are currently considering how the programme should be structured to deliver service transformation.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax: Databases

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimates or projections her Department has made of the change in the size of the council tax database due to  (a) migration,  (b) demographic and  (c) household formation changes over the next (i) year, (ii) three years and (iii) five years.

John Healey: The council taxbase projections used in the local government finance settlements for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 are based on the billing authority's taxbase as at 8 October 2007 adjusted for student exemptions, increased by the average annual increase between 2005 and 2007. The following link provides a detailed explanation:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/0809/taxbase.pdf

Electoral Register: Fraud

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether legal guidance has been given to  (a) the Audit Commission and  (b) local authorities on the request by the Audit Commission to certain local authorities to use their electoral register data as part of the national fraud initiative.

John Healey: Government have not given legal guidance on this issue either to the Audit Commission or to local authorities. However, we are aware that the Audit Commission has circulated legal advice, which it has received, to the local authorities from whom data has been requested.

Fire Services: Manpower

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1220W, on fire services: buildings, what estimate she has made of the number of staff required at any one time to provide a resilient 24-hour operation.

Parmjit Dhanda: The number of staff employed within each RCC is a matter for each individual RCC company.
	However, the indicative numbers from the staffing model suggests that the number of control room staff required on duty across the network to provide a resilient 24-hour operation is as follows:
	
		
			  Time period  Control operators  Team leaders  Other control room staff  Control room management 
			 8 am to 4 pm 76 18 9 9 
			 4 pm to 8 pm 103 19 9 9 
			 8 pm to 11 pm 86 18 9 9 
			 11 pm to 8 am 59 9 9 9 
		
	
	These numbers are for the whole network in steady state, i.e. when all RCCs are fully operational and the network is fully functional, and takes into account the daily fluctuations in call volumes.
	In addition to the staff within the Control Room of the Regional Control Centre, there will also be other senior management, technical support, and support staff in each of the nine RCCs.

Housing Association: Debts

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes the Housing and Regeneration Bill will make to the status of housing association debt for the purpose of the Exchequer's balance sheet.

Caroline Flint: The ONS have previously judged registered social landlords to be private non-financial corporations, taking into account the existing regulatory framework. HM Treasury advise that the additional regulatory measures being introduced though the Housing and Regeneration Bill are not relevant to the sector classification of registered social landlords. They will therefore have no effect on the status of housing association debt.

Local Authorities: Assessments

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Comprehensive Performance Assessment rating, including sub-categories, was of each local authority in each year such ratings have been awarded.

John Healey: CPA scores for single tier and county councils were introduced in 2002. Information on CPA and the scores themselves are publicly available on the Audit Commission's website at:
	http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/cpa/index.asp?page=index.asp&area=hpcpa

Local Authorities: Cost-effectiveness

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities cited efficiencies in  (a) parking charges and  (b) parking enforcement in their submissions of (i) forward and (ii) backward look annual efficiency statements to her Department in each year since their inception.

John Healey: Local authorities report their efficiency gains to the Department for Communities and Local Government through annual efficiency statements, which are published on the Department's website at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/efficiencybetter/deliveringefficiency
	Guidance to councils on the completion of annual efficiency statements is available at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/measuringreporting
	This makes clear that the introduction of a new charge or fine, or an increase in an existing charge or fine does not in itself constitute an 'efficiency' and therefore should not be included in the annual efficiency statement.
	Councils that referenced 'parking' in their most recent efficiency statements may have made these gains from improvements to any aspect of their parking service, and not simply through more efficient management of parking charges or enforcement.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department plans to spend on  (a) the provision of new Gypsy and Traveller sites and  (b) the refurbishment of existing Gypsy and Traveller sites in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09, (iii) 2009-10 and (iv) 2010-11.

Iain Wright: The Government makes Gypsy and Traveller Sites Grant available for the provision of new sites and refurbishment of existing sites. In 2007-08, £18.4 million has been approved for new sites or the extension of existing sites, £11.8 million has been approved for the refurbishment of existing sites (which in some cases may bring pitches back into use) and £3.7 million has been approved for schemes which include both refurbishment and extension. £33 million will be available for the grant in 2008-09, and £32 million in both 2009-10 and 2010-11.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

1 Carlton Gardens

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 964W, on 1 Carlton Gardens, whether an empty property council tax discount is being claimed for the property.

Meg Munn: The Department will be claiming the council tax discount for the period the property has been empty.

Carbon Emissions

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from his counterparts in the EU on the operation of the Emissions Trading Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: I meet regularly with EU counterparts on a range of issues, including the EU Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), as do my Ministerial and policy colleagues. Currently the UK is working with EU partners, including the Commission, to review how the EU ETS can best deliver the necessary reductions in emissions beyond 2012. The UK view is that the review should be ambitious, delivering real emissions reductions (ie 20 per cent. or 30 per cent. as part of an international negotiation) by 2020, as agreed at the spring Council 2007, greater harmonisation and long-term certainty, and maximise its potential to stimulate investment in low-carbon technology. The Commission's proposal for a revised EU ETS from 2013 was discussed by EU Environment Ministers at the Environment Council on 3 March and will also be discussed by EU leaders at the spring European Council on 13-14 March.
	The Government agree with Sir Nicholas Stern that a global price for carbon is essential if we are to achieve a low carbon economy. The EU ETS and other mandatory emissions trading schemes being developed around the world are crucial stepping stones towards this. It is a major pillar of both UK and EU climate change policy and is the primary market based mechanism in the fight against climate change. It is fundamental to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by keeping emissions within agreed limits while allowing emission reductions to be made at least cost through trading of allowances.

Caribbean: Royal Visits

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs his Department expects to incur associated with the use of the Leander yacht by HRH Prince of Wales during his official visit to the Caribbean in March; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: holding answer 7 March 2008
	The Department for Transport has overall responsibility for the funding of official travel for members of The Royal Family. This is administered by The Royal Travel Office in Her Majesty The Queen's Household.

Caribbean: Royal Visits

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Royal Household he expects to accompany the Prince of Wales during his visit to the Caribbean in March at the expense of the public purse.

Meg Munn: holding answer 7 March 2008
	14 members of staff will accompany Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall at public expense.

Defence: Foreign Relations

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the US missile defence shield installations in Poland and the Czech Republic on relations between the European Union and Russia.

Jim Murphy: This is not an EU proposal. It is a bilateral arrangement between the US and the states involved. There are regular discussions at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-Russia Council on this matter.

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the policy of British jobs for British workers will affect his Department's recruitment policy.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office gave to him on 3 March 2008  Official Report, columns 2206-07W.

EC Common Foreign and Security Policy: Black Sea

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for the European security and defence policy of the EU's border on the Black Sea following the accession of Romania and Bulgaria.

Jim Murphy: The EU considers Black sea issues through the general policy framework provided by the Black Sea Synergy Initiative. This does not include implications of an EU border on the Black Sea for European Security and Defence Policy. The EU would consider defence aspects only in the context of specific developments in the region that might require a potential EU crisis management intervention, which would be planned and conducted through the European Security and Defence Policy.

Gibraltar: Politics and Government

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effects on the people of Gibraltar of  (a) the new constitution and  (b) agreement over the airport.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 5 March 2008
	Gibraltar's new constitution came into force in January 2007. This followed a decision by the people of Gibraltar to accept it in a referendum organised by the Government of Gibraltar in 2006. The new constitution provides for a modern and mature relationship between the UK and Gibraltar.
	As my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, set out in his answer to the noble Lord, the right hon. Lord Luce, in another place on 21 November 2007,  Official Report, columns WA79-80, the airport agreement has allowed for more connections to and from Gibraltar airport and since December 2006 direct flights between Madrid and Gibraltar have become routine. Gibraltar is also now included in new EU aviation measures.

International Cooperation: Human Rights

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who represented the Government at the Durban Two Preparatory Committee meeting on 31 August 2007.

Meg Munn: Our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and members of the UK Delegation represented the Government at the Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference on 31 August 2007.

NATO

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the  (a) current and  (b) future relationship between NATO and the EU.

Jim Murphy: The EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) are key organisations that have both successfully delivered stability and security to the European region. The Government place a high priority on improving EU/NATO relations, since it is important that the two organisations work effectively together, and will continue to work with partners and allies to deliver more effective co-operation in both Brussels and in operations like Kosovo and Afghanistan. As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary stated in his recent Bruges speech
	"We must [also] overcome the blockages to collaboration with NATO. We welcome the signs of increased willingness on the part of key partners to do so".

Saudi Arabia

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Saudi Arabia.

Kim Howells: I can inform my right hon. Friend that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary intends to visit Saudi Arabia in the next few months. I visited the Kingdom on 23-24 February 2008.

Simon Mann

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take in the week beginning 10 March to monitor the  (a) treatment and  (b) risk of torture of Mr. Simon Mann in Black Beach Prison Equatorial Guinea.

Meg Munn: Our consul from the British deputy high commission in Lagos travelled to Malabo and visited Mr. Mann in prison on 12 February. Our high commissioner in Abuja presented his credentials in Equatorial Guinea on 6 March and followed up on Mr. Mann's situation. Consular officials aim to visit Mr. Mann again very soon, when they will discuss Mr Mann's welfare with the authorities in Equatorial Guinea.
	The authorities have offered assurances that he will be treated well while in detention.

Spain: Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the average waiting time at the border for those travelling from  (a) Spain into Gibraltar and  (b) Gibraltar into Spain in the last 12 months.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 5 March 2008
	The September 2006 Cordoba agreements set out new arrangements for the border designed to improve pedestrian and traffic flows between Gibraltar and Spain. These arrangements, which saw the introduction of red and green customs channels in both directions, came into force in December 2006 and have considerably improved border fluidity. Data gathered by the Gibraltar authorities for traffic travelling from Gibraltar to Spain shows a marked improvement when figures are compared to similar periods before December 2006. Queues with measurable delays only build up in peak traffic periods, usually at the end of the working day and Saturdays. The Gibraltar authorities do not gather data on delay times entering Gibraltar from Spain.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1306W, on Sudan: peacekeeping operations, what assessment has been made of which groups in Darfur continue to obstruct the political process; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: holding answer 6 March 2008
	There has been no further recent progress in the Darfur political process owing to various factors including fragmentation among rebel groups. The African Union (AU) and the UN assess that there are now five main rebel groups in Darfur. They are currently talking to all of these groups both in and outside of Darfur to encourage them to unify further and agree on common platforms for negotiations with the Government of Sudan. The UN/AU will be hosting a meeting of international partners in Geneva on 18 March to set out the current status of the peace process and how to move it forward including in relation to the level of rebel engagement. The UK is discussing that issue with the UN and other partners in the run-up to that meeting.
	My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development, in a joint statement of 27 February expressed concern about recent violence by all sides in West Darfur, and called for continued international attention including by the Security Council.

USA: Nuclear Weapons

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the United States' plan to site nuclear missile bases in the territory of EU member states; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The UK knows of no US plans to site nuclear missile bases in the territory of EU member states. The UK does, however, welcome US plans to place missile defence assets in Poland and the Czech Republic. These plans are an important step towards providing missile defence coverage for Europe.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Apprenticeships: Teesside

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department has taken to involve employers on the Tees to establish and deliver plans to increase the number of apprenticeships on  (a) Teesside and  (b) Stockton.

Bill Rammell: As part of National Apprenticeships Week in February 2008, the Learning and Skills Council worked with partners including employers and the Tees Valley work-based learning provider network to promote the broad range of apprenticeships available. This built on existing work with apprenticeship providers including in Stockton and the Tees Valley to improve quality and completion rates and to offer the apprenticeships employers and young people demand.
	The Government report "World-class Apprenticeships: Unlocking Talent, Building Skills for All available at:
	http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications/world_class_ apprenticeships.pdf
	sets out plans to expand the number and range of apprenticeships throughout England. Plans to expand the number of employers delivering apprenticeships include developing more flexible and responsive apprenticeship frameworks, and incentives payments to targeted businesses.
	Over the past decade, we have more than doubled the number of young people and adults starting apprenticeships in England. Over the period to 2020 we project that apprenticeship starts will increase to over 250,000 per year.

Apprenticeships: Teesside

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps the Government plan to take to increase the number of apprenticeship in  (a) Teesside and  (b) Stockton.

Bill Rammell: The Tees Valley Learning and Skills Council will build on its existing work with partners including employers, sector skills councils and the Tees Valley work-based learning provider network to increase the number of apprenticeships on offer locally.
	Government plan to expand the number and range of apprenticeships in England were set out in 'World-class Apprenticeships: Unlocking Talent, Building Skills for AH11 available at:
	http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications/world_class_ apprenticeships.pdl
	Over the past decade, we have more than doubled the number of young people and adults starting apprenticeships in England. Over the period to 2020 we project that apprenticeship starts will increase to over 250,000 per year.

Costs

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to date of the establishment of his Department.

David Lammy: The costs of setting up the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills were met within existing departmental budgets.

Council of Ministers

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the A List items are of the next EU Council of Ministers meeting he will be attending.

Bill Rammell: The next meeting of the Education Council is scheduled for 22 May 2008 which I am due to attend for the UK. A items for the meeting will not be produced until shortly beforehand.
	The next meeting of the Competitiveness Council is scheduled for 29-30 May. My hon. Friend the Minister for Science and Innovation (Ian Pearson) is likely to attend for the UK. A items for the meeting will not be produced until shortly beforehand.

Departmental ICT

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many websites his Department currently operates; how many it operated at 1 January 2005; and what the estimated annual cost has been of running his Department's websites.

Bill Rammell: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills currently operates three websites,
	www.dius.gov.uk.
	www.foresight.gov.uk
	and
	www.bnsc.gov.uk
	www.bnsc.gov.uk is operated on behalf of BNSC by Science and Technology Facilities Council, a delivery partner of BNSC.
	Following the machinery of government changes the Department was created in June 2007 therefore DIUS did not operate a website in January 2005.
	The estimated annual costs are
	
		
			   £ 
			 www.dius.gov.uk 300,000 
			 www.bnsc.gov.uk 100,000 
			 www.foresight.gov.uk 100,000

Departmental Recycling

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what  (a) volume and  (b) percentage of its waste his Department recycled in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created by machinery of Government changes at the end of June 2007 and therefore data on the Department's level of recycling has not yet been collected.

Departmental Sustainable Development

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether his Department has adopted the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management Programme.

Bill Rammell: Since its creation in June 2007, estates and facilities management services have been provided to the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills as a shared service by the Department for Children Schools and Families and by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
	DCSF headquarters has adopted and is operating the Carbon Trust's carbon management programme within its departmental environmental management system (SUMS) action plans. BERR are developing a programme with the Carbon Trust, including advice on renewables and carbon reduction options.

Departmental Sustainable Development

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether his Department met the target in the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate to reverse the then upward trend in carbon emissions by April 2007.

Bill Rammell: The last published return on central Government progress on sustainable operations is contained within the Sustainable Development in Government Report for 2005/06. The 2006/07 report is due to be published in March 2008.
	As the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was only formed in June 2007, we were not able to take part in this return.
	The Department's accommodation is located within buildings managed on our behalf by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and as such, our sustainable operations performance will be returned within their reports.

Departmental Telephone Services

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which agencies under his Department's responsibility use the  (a) 0845 and  (b) 0870 telephone codes for customer enquiries; how many 0845 and 0870 telephone codes each agency uses; and how much revenue was generated for each of these codes by each agency in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) was created by the Prime Minister on 28 June 2007.
	A number of "08" telephones services are administered by the Department for public use.
	From central records, the only information that can be provided on the Department's use of 0870 and 0845 telephone numbers is listed as follows.
	
		
			   0845  0870  Revenue 
			 UK-IPO 0845 001 0030 0870 191 0111 Call volumes to most numbers, especially the 0870 numbers, are relatively low 
			  0845 015 0010 0870 191 0112 No revenue was generated from the 0845 numbers 
			  0845 015 0020 0870 191 0113  
			  0845 015 0030 0870 191 0114  
			  0845 019 0001 0870 191 0115  
			  0845 404 0506 0870 191 0116  
			  0845 600 0678 0870 191 0117  
			  0845 600 9006 0870 191 0118  
			  0845 603 4599 0870 240 5927  
			  08459 222 250 0870 240 5929  
			   0870 600 6080  
			   0870 606 1515  
			 
			 Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL)  0870 060 3278 Since 2005, income of about £300 in the form of expenditure rebate on our 0845 and 0870 numbers 
			 
			 Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA)  0870 000 2399 These are not income generators in any form 
			   0870 000 2401 (fax)  
			 
			 Construction Industry Training Board (citb)   2006—£33,400 
			2007—£89,538 
			2008—£15,890 
			 
			 Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ecitb) Seven "0845" numbers  No revenue 
			 
			 Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) 0845 757 7890  17 June 2005 to 13 February 2008 £1,164.25

Written Questions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many written parliamentary questions have been tabled for answer by his Department this Session; and what the average number of days taken to answer them was.

Bill Rammell: The Department has so far received 908 questions this Session. The Department's PQ tracking system is currently unable to break down the data requested regarding response times and to do so would incur disproportionate cost. However, the software used to monitor and track PQs tabled for both this Department and the Department for Children, Schools and Families is being upgraded at the moment and a new enhanced system is close to implementation.

Written Questions

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of Parliamentary questions from hon. Members for answer on a named day received by his Department and its predecessors have received a  (a) holding answer and  (b) substantive answer by the named day in each year since 2001.

Bill Rammell: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Higher Education: Females

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what research his Department has undertaken on the impact of removing funding for equivalent or lower level qualifications on women; and what discussions he has had with the Minister for Women on this issue.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 10 January 2008
	Nearly 60 per cent. of students are women. The proportion of students studying for equivalent or lower level qualifications who are women is the same. But our policy of redistributing grant will widen participation and mean that more of the ten million women of working age who do not have a first higher-level qualification, especially those from non-traditional backgrounds, will be able to benefit from participating in higher education. I have had no discussions with the Minister for Women specifically on this issue which does not discriminate against women, but offers more opportunities for both men and women without a first higher education qualification.

Drinking Water

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many litres of bottled water were purchased by his Department and its predecessor in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Hospitality and catering services for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, since its creation in June 2007, are provided on our behalf by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, We do not have separate figures on how much bottled water our Department has purchased.

Official Engagements

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the engagements of the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education were for  (a) 5 ,  (b) 6 and  (c) 7 November 2007; who he was scheduled to meet; to whom invitations were issued; what issues were discussed at each meeting; which officials travelled with him on those dates; what transport was used; and which hon. and right hon. Members were informed that he would be visiting their constituencies.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 29 January 2008
	Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not normal practice to disclose details of such meetings.

Physics: Degrees

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many first degree physics undergraduates there are; and what the equivalent figures were in  (a) 2003,  (b) 1998 and  (c) 1993.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table. Due to a change in the methodology for recording subject in 2002/03, comparisons between figures for 2001/02 and earlier, and those for 2002/03 onwards cannot be made; Comparable figures for the 2007/08 academic year will be available in January 2009.
	Latest figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show that applicants who were accepted to full-time first degree courses in physics in 2007/08 increased by 10 per cent. compared to the previous year.
	
		
			  Number of first degree physics undergraduates( 1)  English higher education institutions( 2) —academic years 1994/95( 3) , 1998/99, 2003/04 and 2006/07 
			  Academic year  Physics students 
			 1994/95 7,730 
			 1998/99(4) 8,035 
			 2003/04 7,795 
			 2006/07 7,835 
			 (1) Includes both full-time and part-time undergraduates from the UK and overseas. (2) Figures from the Open University have been excluded from the analysis. (3) Figures for first degree physics students are not available for 1993/94 academic year, only for physical sciences as a whole. Therefore, comparable figures for the 1994/96 academic year have been provided as an alternative. (4) In 2002/03 the methodology for recording subject of study was changed on the student record. Aside from the introduction of a new coding frame, JACS (previously a system called HESACODE was used), students were apportioned between their subjects of study rather than being assigned on a headcount basis to their major subject. As such, comparisons between figures for 2001/02 and earlier, and those for 2002/03 onwards cannot be made.  Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant and are rounded to the nearest 5.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Space Technology: Finance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what support the Government has provided to the UK space sector since 1997.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 6 March 2008
	Information on funding for civil space by the partners of the British National Space Centre was provided to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee for its inquiry into UK space policy, and published in the Committee's seventh report of session 2006-07. The figures provided to the Committee, with the addition of the 2006-07 figures, are as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 1997-98 183.18 
			 1998-99 184.99 
			 1999-2000 172.62 
			 2000-01 177,38 
			 2001-02 169.18 
			 2002-03 160.20 
			 2003-04 188.65 
			 2004-05 197.94 
			 2005-06 20761 
			 2006-07 217.88 
			  Note: The figures are expressed in cash in the year of expenditure.

Students: Bankruptcy

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many undergraduate students resident in  (a) Suffolk,  (b) the East of England and  (c) England declared themselves bankrupt in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Provisions were included in the Higher Education Act 2004 to prevent student loans being written off on bankruptcy (mortgage-style 1oans from July 2004 and Income-contingent loans from September 2004). Currently student loans are not exempt from individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs).
	The increase in student loan borrowers with bankruptcies and IVAs should be seen in the context of the increases among the general population. Figures from the Insolvency Service show that between 2002 and 2006 the number of individual bankruptcies in England and Wales more than doubled; the number of IVAs increased seven-fold.
	Up to 2004 only combined figures for bankruptcies and IVAs are available from SLC data. After the change in legislation SLC ceased to record bankruptcies, as student loans are excluded from bankruptcy debts and are not written off on discharge from bankruptcy. Figures from 2005 show IVAs only.
	Available data are shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Students with publicly-owned student loans who notified the Student Loans Company (SLC) of their bankruptcy or individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) while studying( 1) . Students domiciled in Suffolk, East of England Government Office Region and England. Calendar years of bankruptcy or IVA 1997 to 2004 
			   Suffolk( 2)  East of England( 2)  England( 3) 
			 1997 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 1998 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 1999 (4)— (4)— 20 
			 2000 (4)— (4)— 20 
			 2001 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 2002 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 2003 (4)— 10 50 
			 2004 (4)— 10 110 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 borrowers. Students on postgraduate initial teacher training courses can be eligible for loans, and therefore figures may include some who took out loans for postgraduate study.  (2) Income-contingent loans only. Information on mortgage-style loan borrowers who are bankrupt or have IVAs is not available by local authority or Government Office Region.  (3) Mortgage-style and income-contingent loans.  (4) Nil or less than five.   Source:  Student Loans Company 
		
	
	
		
			  Students with publicly-owned student loans who took individual voluntary arrangements (IVA) while studying( 1. ) Students domiciled in Suffolk, East of England Government Office Region and England. Calendar years of IVA 2005 to 2006 
			   Suffolk( 2)  East of England( 2)  England( 3) 
			 2005 (4)— (4)— 30 
			 2006 (4)— (4)— 20 
			 1 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 borrowers. Students on postgraduate initial teacher training courses can be eligible for loans, and therefore figures may include some who took out loans for postgraduate study.  2 Income-contingent loans only. Information on mortgage-style loan borrowers who are bankrupt or have IVAs is not available by local authority or Government Office Region.  3 Mortgage-style and income-contingent loans.  4 Nil or less than five.   Source:  Student Loans Company.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications as additional degrees, what assessment he has made of the effect of his decision upon  (a) women returners,  (b) older men,  (c) disabled students and  (d) black and minority ethnic students.

Bill Rammell: Our policy is a progressive redistribution of £100 million in institutional funding by 2010 away from students who already have a first HE qualification and want to study another one at an equivalent or lower level towards first time entrants which will enable more of the 20 million people of working age without a first HE qualification to participate in higher education and enjoy all the benefits it brings. Within that group without higher level qualifications, there are millions of women returners, older men, disabled students and black and minority ethnic students who will all have more opportunities as a result of the ELQ policy. The majority are likely to be mature learners from non-traditional backgrounds who want to study part-time.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications (ELQ) as additional degrees, whether ELQ students of medicine and veterinary science will be  (a) publicly funded and  (b) exempt from the withdrawal of funding; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have always recognised that there may need to be exceptions to our general policy to redistribute institutional funding for ELQ students towards other students for particular subjects. We are not going to rush into making special arrangements, other than those subjects we have already identified as requiring support in the public interest—such as medicine, initial teacher training teaching, science (including veterinary science), technology, engineering and maths subjects, area-based studies, and modern foreign languages. But we are asking the Funding Council each year to look at subjects which might in future be regarded as key because of their economic or social significance, and in cases where there is evidence of a fall in demand, advise us on the best way forward. The first review will start in December 2008.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how he plans to fund the 50,000 higher education student places for 2008-11 announced in the comprehensive spending review; and how many of these students will be first-time entrants.

Bill Rammell: The 2 per cent. real terms annual increase in funding we are providing through the outcome of the comprehensive spending review, together with our policy of redistributing £100 million by 2010 away from students studying equivalent or lower level qualifications to ones they already hold, will enable us to provide 60,000 new places in full-time equivalent terms for new students either entering HE for the first time or progressing to higher level degrees to ones they already hold.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications as additional degrees, what funding will be available for re-skilling students for higher level qualifications.

Bill Rammell: Our policy is a progressive redistribution of £100 million in institutional funding by 2010 away from students who already have a first HE qualification and want to study another one at an equivalent or lower level towards first time entrants which will enable more of the 20 million people of working age without a first HE qualification to participate in higher education and enjoy all the benefits it brings. However, our policy is a balanced one. There will be opportunities for those with a first HE qualification who want to re-skill in a different subject at the same or lower level, through foundation degrees, and employer co-funded provision and we will continue to fund students progressing to higher level qualifications than the ones they already hold.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications as additional degrees, what estimate he has made of the potential costs transferred to  (a) business and the private sector,  (b) the public sector and  (c) the not-for-profit sector.

Bill Rammell: Our policy is a progressive redistribution of £100 million in institutional funding by 2010 away from students who already have a first HE qualification and want to study another one at an equivalent or lower level towards first time entrants will enable more of the 20 million people of working age who do not have a first HE qualification to participate in higher education and all the benefits it brings. But it will also bring economic benefits to employers by expanding the supply of more highly qualified, more productive workers. Lord Leitch's report, comparative data from the OECD, and the fact that the lifetime earnings premium associated with having a first degree remains among the highest in the world, all suggest that employers in this country in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors are themselves, under the current system, paying for the fact that we are not producing enough graduates for our economic well-being.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications as additional degrees, what assessment he has made of the effect of his decision to withdraw funding on the viability of courses for first-time entrants to higher education.

Bill Rammell: The outcome of the comprehensive spending review will enable us to support an additional 60,000 new places in full-time equivalent terms for new students either entering HE for the first time or progressing to higher level degrees to ones they already hold. Despite doubts about the viability of growth and individual courses when we introduced our policies in 1997, there has already been an increase in the number of students in the system of over 300,000 and we remain confident that any sceptics will once again be proved wrong. That assessment is also consistent with Lord Leitch's report and comparative data from the OECD. An extra 5 million people will need to obtain a first higher education qualification by 2020 if we are to be even on the edge of the premier league for world-class skills, with 40 per cent. of the workforce with higher level qualifications.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications (ELQs) as additional degrees, how many part-time ELQ students he estimates will be affected in institutions other than the Open University.

Bill Rammell: No existing ELQ students will be affected at any institution. Our policy is a progressive redistribution of £100 million in institutional funding by 2010 away from students who already have a first HE qualification and want to study another one at an equivalent or lower level towards first time entrants will enable more of the 20 million people of working age who do not have a first HE qualification to participate in higher education and enjoy all the benefits it brings. The majority are likely to be mature learners from non-traditional backgrounds who want to study part-time.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications (ELQs) as additional degrees, whether his proposals extend to ELQ students on courses leading to qualifications in  (a) child and adolescent studies and  (b) biometric science.

Bill Rammell: Yes. In finalising our proposals, we have decided not to rush into making special arrangements, other than those subjects we have already identified as requiring support in the public interest—such as medicine, initial teacher training teaching, science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, area-based studies, and modern foreign languages. But we are asking the Funding Council each year to look at subjects which might in future be regarded as key because of their economic or social significance, and in cases where there is evidence of a fall in demand advise us on the best way forward. The first review will be in December 2008 and could provide an opportunity to look at these subjects. There will also be opportunities for those with a first HE qualification who want to retrain in these subjects, through foundation degrees, and employer co-funded provision.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications (ELQs) as additional degrees, what savings he expects to make by ceasing public funding for ELQ students of  (a) pharmacy,  (b) psychology and  (c) educational psychology.

Bill Rammell: None. We are redistributing funding not saving it. The large majority of students already study these subjects as a first HE qualification and as a result of our policy of redistributing £100 million by 2010 away from supporting ELQ students, there will be even more opportunities for students to study these subjects either as a first higher education qualification or a higher education qualification to one they already hold.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications as additional degrees, whether from 2008-09 a student with a higher national diploma studying for an accountancy qualification would qualify for funding.

Bill Rammell: Such a student would only attract institutional funding if the level of that accountancy qualification was higher than a higher national diploma. In other cases, there should still be opportunities available if the accountancy qualification was either a foundation degree or the course leading to the accountancy qualification was co-funded by an employer.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what consultation he undertook in advance of his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications (ELQs) as additional degrees on the effect of his request on the  (a) administration and  (b) regulation of the ELQ sector.

Bill Rammell: None because the request to HEFCE was itself a request to consult on the details of the decision we had already taken from first principles and advise us on the way these issues might best be tackled in a way that gets the balance right between regulation and not having an overly bureaucratic system. In all cases, HEFCE will work with institutions to audit fundable student numbers and final HEFCE funding will be determined oh the basis of audited returns and through a robust audit process.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills prior to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications (ELQs), what research he commissioned on the effect of his request on access to higher education.

Bill Rammell: The latest data from the labour market speak for themselves. There are 20 million people of working age who do not have a first HE qualification, including six million who have qualifications at A level or equivalent but have not progressed to higher education. Over time, new data from the labour market and comparative date from the OECD will inform future analysis of whether we are producing enough graduates for our economic well-being and enabling enough people with the talent to succeed to access higher education to study for a first qualification.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what forecast he has made of the number of students enrolling for an equivalent and lower qualification (ELQ) as an additional degree between 2011 and 2015 who will no longer receive funding as a result of his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September; and how much funding he no longer plans to allocate to ELQ students in each of these years.

Bill Rammell: All we have asked HEFCE to do is to find savings of about £100 million a year by 2010-11. No strategic decision has been taken about whether to reallocate further ELQ funding after 2010-11 and no assessment has therefore been made about ELQ students enrolling between 2011 and 2015.

Students: Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that students are informed of bursary and scholarship options prior to completing the PN1 student finance application form.

Bill Rammell: Universities and colleges offering higher education provide information about the bursaries and scholarships they offer. Following the publication of their annual monitoring report, the Office for Fair Access has written to all universities with an access agreement saying that not all eligible students have applied for bursaries and asking them to put more effort into advertising their bursaries to students.
	DIUS continues to raise awareness of all elements of the higher education student finance package, including bursaries, via literature, web (including an interactive bursary map showing what finance institutions in England) and campaign material.
	Information for prospective students on bursaries is also available via the Universities and Colleges Admissions System website.

Students: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many  (a) undergraduate and  (b) postgraduate students had their university fees (i) partially and (ii) wholly paid for by their employer in the last 12 months.

Bill Rammell: Information on the number of students who had their fees partially paid for by their employer is not available centrally. The latest available information on students who had their fees wholly paid for by their employer is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of undergraduate and postgraduate students( 1)  who had their fees wholly paid for by their employer—English higher education institutions 
			  Academic year 2006/07 
			   Postgraduate  Undergraduate 
			  Major source of tuition fees  Number  Percentage of known  Number  Percentage of known 
			 Employer(2) 45,725 15.0 66,155 4.9 
			 Other 259,700 85.0 1,283,670 95.1 
			 Total known 305,425 100.0 1,349,825 100.0 
			 Unknown 4,830 — 6,235 — 
			 Total 310,255 — 1,356,055 — 
			 (1) Includes both full-time and part-time students. (2) Employer as major source of tuition fees includes students who were recorded as having their tuition fees paid by "student's employer" and "UK industry/commerce".  Note: Figures are on a HESA standard registration population basis. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 
		
	
	The Leitch Review of Skills encourages employers to support and fund the upskilling of their work force to level 4 or above to support the nation's international competitiveness. He set a target for at least 40 per cent. of the nation's work force to be qualified to level 4 or above by 2020.

Training: Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the additional number of jobs that will be created for British citizens following the announcement of new training places made on 16 November 2007.

Bill Rammell: The UK has a dynamic and flexible labour market with the highest employment rate in the G7 and 2.8 million new jobs have been created in the UK since 1997. Despite this success there are too many people still missing out on work and the benefits that it brings. This Government are determined to ensure that no individual is left behind. Independent projections suggest that there will be five million fewer low-skilled people in work in 2020, and five million more higher-skilled people in work. This will require significant upskilling of the British population from today's levels.
	The announcement of new training places reaffirms the Government's commitment to upskilling British people to provide them with the skills required in a more competitive labour market, to get them off benefits and into jobs and to help them to advance from low skilled to higher skilled jobs. We will continue to help those who need to improve their skills—the overwhelming majority of whom, but not all are British.